


Allyson Invades Wonderland

by GracelessAngel17



Series: Wonderland [1]
Category: Alice in Wonderland (Movies - Burton), tim burton - Fandom
Genre: Alice in Wonderland, Gen, I promise it gets better, Self-Insert, Wrote this when I was 14, also I'm not this aggressive in real life, burton's alice in wonderland, my writing I mean, still better than Twilight, tim burton - Freeform, usually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-07 01:33:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 74,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17356457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GracelessAngel17/pseuds/GracelessAngel17
Summary: When a modern-day girl falls into Underland and into a story she's all too familiar with, can she make a few changes to the script and get in on the action without losing her head?





	1. Prologue - First Things First, Of Course

**Author's Note:**

> This was the first multi-chapter fic I ever finished, and I'm still kinda proud of it. The sequels are still very much in-progress, but I'll post what I have so maybe I'll be inspired to actually finish them...

 I bolted upright in my bed, panting and gasping for air. Sweat dripped off my forehead, soaking the long, brown hair cascading down my back. I’d had that crazy dream again; for the third time this week! “ _This is gettin’ ridiculous_.” I mumbled to myself, “ _A girl just can’t get good sleep like she used to!_ ” My head found its way back to the pillow as I stared at the ceiling dotted with glow-in-the-dark stars. The fan whirred, spinning round and round continuously, a low hum filled the night’s silence.

            “ _Oh well. No use in just layin’ here… I need some rest._ ” my weary 6-year-old eyes attempted to close, but something drew them away from their mission.

            A white shape, just outside my window.

            A white _rabbit_ in a waistcoat, carrying a pocket-watch.

            Its metallic surface caught the full moon’s light and shined right in my eye. I sat up again, watching him watching me. He tapped the watch, as if saying " _Don’t be late!"_ and then disappeared into the woods.

            Not much to my surprise, my loyally lazy dog, Clifford, didn’t bark at the sight of a strange creature in the yard. He remained completely quiet, except for the occasional yawn here and there. He’s such a **wonderful** guard dog!

            Still shaken, I flopped back down and inched closer to the wall. There was no way he’d followed me out of my dream… the White Rabbit wasn’t real. Nothing in that dream was real. Zilch, nada, none whatsoever, no way, no how.

            It couldn’t be… ** _could it_**?

            March Hares, Mad Hatters, and loony Queens with enormous heads and attitudes to match just don’t exist; not in this world! Hedgehogs and Flamingos are most _DEFINITELY_ not used in croquet ( _not that I’d ever played it myself, it’s just common sense_ ), monkeys and birds are certainly not used to hold up furniture, and no rabbit that I’ve ever seen, white or not, has worn a waistcoat nor carried a pocket-watch! Bandersnatches, Jubjub birds and Jabberwockies don’t galumph around in the woods or fill the sky with their presence. And cats can’t just _vanish_ into thin air, dogs can’t talk as plain as humans, and dormice do not brandish hatpins as swords when threatened. Playing cards and chess pieces are only about 3 inches tall at the most ( _not 4 and 5 feet_ ), are not made of armor thick enough to deflect heavy weaponry, and cannot move about on their own via walking because they aren‘t supposed to have legs.

            But, in this dream……that’s **_exactly_** what happened! That, and much more that you would never believe in a million years……I don’t even believe it…and I saw it with my own two eyes! No matter how much I tried to assure myself, I continued to wonder…

            Was it really _a **dream** at all? Or was it something more…?_

 ** _\- - - - - - - - -_** \- - - - - - - - -

            Even now I‘m still not sure, not even all these years later. No one else seems to be either, including the shrink my parents hired a few months ago…but… ** _that’s_** another story…

            I still have the “ _dream_ ”, just not as often as I used to. It once came to me almost every night, now it only comes around right before something really unusual is about to happen in the real world. Coincidence? I think **_NOT_**!

            As if that’s not crazy enough, I’m not the only one that has had this vision plague me for most of my life! All of my friends here at the middle school have been through the same thing as me; Mayo ( _the drama queen_ ), Maccay ( _the stubborn one_ ), Lucy and C’Lee ( _the identical twins that argue about everything_ ), Trevor ( _the crooked cook_ ), and Matt ( _the smooth-talker,_ ). All seven of us had our bizarre adventure in common, but the versions of it varied from person to person.

            Mayo is always at a tea party with the Hatter, March Hare and the ever-so-pessimistic Dormouse. She’s told me several times that, after all the visits she’s made; the tea has grown quite weak, the cookies aren’t any better, and the bread and butter are cold and stale. I’m not quite sure I completely believe her though, as she’s known for her exaggerations and making mountains out of molehills. Then again, that party **_has_** been going on for several years nonstop… eh, who knows?

            Maccay, the poor girl, is stuck at the croquet game with the tyrannical Red Queen and her odd group of courtiers. The two of them have allegedly been arguing about who won the game since her second visit. The Queen and her lackeys claim that “her Majesty” beat my friend “fair and square”; Maccay begs to differ… she says that **_she_** was the one that beat the Queen! And with both of them being stubborn as a couple of mules, it doesn’t appear that anyone in Underland is gonna hear the end of it anytime soon. My heart goes out to the unlucky souls that have to listen to their bickering for hours on end those nights when she's there; I really pity them.

            Lucy and C’Lee are still caught up with Tweedledee and Tweedledum ( _the old saying “opposites attract” obviously doesn’t apply to their situation_ ). They haven’t given me any good details –neither one of them can agree with the other on what actually transpired- so my “wild guess” is that they had a rather interesting 4-way squabble over who-knows-what. Then again, that **_is_ **just a guess!

            Then there’s Trevor, the teacher’s pet, the do-gooder, the “guiltless” one. Or so everyone thinks; he’s not really all sugar and spice. That’s more than likely thanks to the rest of our “gang” –we have the bad habit of inadvertently corrupting innocent children like him. Of course, it’s really **_his_** fault too for hangin’ out with us in the first place! It was mostly me and Matt that did all the debasing of his perfect reputation; we’ve known each other the longest, therefore we’ve had more time to do stupid, crazy stuff together. In his "Wonderland adventures”, he’s found a place in the White Queen’s castle. Although I think he spends a little more time in the kitchen there than he needs to, but some of the recipes he concocts during our sleepovers and the chaos prior to birthday parties aren’t half as bad as they sound. It’s the ingredients that are cause for concern; buttered fingers, pickled eyeballs, horsefly urine, and many other oddities. Not exactly what you’d hope to find in your fourteen year old’s mini fridge. Luckily, his parents and little brother Charlie haven’t found any of this stuff yet! Trevor’s sis Page almost walked in on us cooking Underland recipes several times; luckily she didn’t see or hear anything out of place. If any of them had cut it any closer and actually discovered what we were up to, we’d be in some hot water for sure…or an asylum…more than likely both.

            And last but certainly not least, my best guy-friend, Matt. Ever since he first had the dream, he’s been lounging around with the Cheshire Cat, completely, blissfully unaware of what was going on outside of their visits. They could easily be mistaken for a clone of each other, not because they look alike ( _besides their big turquoise eyes and blue-and-black striped hair_ ), but because they act and think in almost the exact same way. When his smooth sarcasm gets him into quite a jam, Matt has the uncanny ability to talk his way out of whatever he got himself into, so does Chessur. Or, if need be, either one can just slip out of the room unnoticed; whichever is the cat’s meow at the moment.

            I’ve been staying in the Mushroom Forest with Absolem, the Oracle. Yeah, he’s the all-knowing, psychic, blue **_caterpillar_**. Yup, you read that right…the **_caterpillar_**. The caterpillar who smokes a hookah full of who-knows-what, constantly blowing the stinking smoke in my face. For the most part of my frequent visits, we sit on a giant cluster of fungus to read the Oraculum, a giant moving calendar that shows everything that has happened, is happening and will happen. It’s pretty interesting to see, watching people without them even knowing.

            That’s how the boys and I got off to such a good start in preschool! I wasn’t the least bit shy on our first day; I just waltzed right up to the two of them and said, “I saw y’all in my dream last night. Wanna be friends?” We’ve been inseparable ever since!

            I met the twins on the first day of kindergarten, swinging on the playground in their almost-matching outfits. Matt and Trevor, as always were flanking me on either side, silently questioning my motives for walking up to these random girls and being so friendly. I had recognized them from part of the Oraculum that had shown the Tweedle brothers and the girls walking around in the Garden of Live Flowers, so I decided that they should join our troop of "Wonderlanders". Lucy and C’Lee debated on it for about thirty minutes, Lucy finally becoming the winner. I’ve had the “Tweedlettes” attached to my hip from that day on, providing comical relief when none of the rest of us can.

            Maccay and Mayo weren’t as quick to ally themselves with us, especially not Maccay. Of course, I tried not to be so brash in introducing myself to her and Mayo in sixth grade; I actually got to know them a little better before I popped the friendship proposal.

            Mayo came along at the beginning middle school, her flair for the dramatic, and a minor mishap on the bleachers led to us coming to know each other. In fact, **she** was the one to ask **me** to become buddies! After consulting Matt, Trevor, C’Lee and Lucy, we welcomed her into our clan of nonconformists with open, Silly Bandz-covered, Sharpie-stained arms. C’Lee and Lucy were kinda jealous at first, but they soon grew to like the newcomer, even to the point where they would fight over who got to sit next to her at lunch or wherever we happened to be.

The excitement of her joining us soon faded as she tried to bring her other best friend, Maccay, into the “club”. All of our energy was directed to persuading her that we weren’t **just** a bunch of “unpopular” lunatics who don’t give a rip what the “popular” people think; we were an **awesome** bunch of “unpopular” lunatics who don’t give a rip what the “popular” people think!

We weren’t just misfits, we were **THE** misfits! And truthfully, according to the students that we surveyed not too long ago, **we** were **WAY** more awesome than the rich, snobby kids that called themselves “cool”. Eventually, Maccay gave in to our prying and prodding, and her presence became the norm at our lunch table, parties, and other get-togethers.

We’re basically one big, happily dysfunctional family! Emphasis on the **_dysfunctional_** part…

            As an added bonus, we started our own band a few months ago –the Wonderland Warriors. I, believe it or not, am the lead singer and pianist, Matt plays drums and occasionally sings backup, Maccay plays both electric and acoustic guitars, Mayo is our bass guitarist, C’Lee plays the violin and Lucy has the flute and horns covered for us. Trevor is Matt’s backup, and vice versa, in case one or the other doesn’t’ show up for practice or a show, but other than that he’s our tech guy. He handles all the neat sound effects when we record, and he does the backgrounds and props for music videos.

            We don’t really even write our own songs, we redo them and their music videos ( _provided that they have one. If not, we make our own_ ). Our personal favorites and frequent projects are Within Temptation, Evanescence, Skillet, and a few others; as long as the song reminds at least one of us about something from Underland, or would be fitting background music if we were in a movie about the dreams.

            Heck, when heard of the new “ _Alice in Wonderland_ ” movie that came out recently, we thought Tim Burton had developed a telepathic ability and read all seven of our minds. Needless to say, we flocked to the theater in Habersham, Georgia the day it came out, and we were in utter shock. Every detail, every character’s personality, all the places, the creatures, they all fitted our visions of Wonderland _perfectly_!

            Except for one guy, the Knave of Hearts… none of us recognized him. Not even Maccay, who’d been stuck at Iracebeth’s palace for _forever_.

            Absolem **_did_** say ** _something_** about some kid named Ilosovic being kidnapped some twenty-odd years ago by the Red Queen, but that’s all he would tell me. No matter how much I begged him to provide me with more details, he wouldn’t give in!

Stubborn little insect… When I go back, I’m gonna get better information about this boy if I have to steal the Caterpillar’s hookah **_again_** ( _just… don’t ask...)_. That ought to make him talk! Hehe!

            If not…I’ve got some other people I could interrogate, and some people that could interrogate some people for me. Either way would be fine, just as long as I get **_some_** kind of piece of the whole story. The suspense is just killing me now! I almost can’t stand it!

            The only problem with my new “quest” is that I can’t control when or where I head “down the rabbit hole” as I call it. Not that I fall down one in the “dream”, it’s just something I got from reading the book “ _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_ ” too many times.

             Anywho, I guess I should probably go pack my bags an’ stuff; big trip tomorrow! Our first international concert! Woohoo! Well, it’s not even really technically a **_concert_** per say… more like a…well … uh… ok, fine! It’s some British kid’s eighth birthday party, and apparently her parents could afford to hire live entertainment for said celebration. She’s a **_REALLY_** big fan of ours, according to her mother anyway, and she refused to let any other band perform at her “extravaganza”. Hey, at least the kid has good taste!

            We’re all gonna meet at my place at 9AM tomorrow morning and head to the airport to load into our **_private jet_** ( _yes, we have a private jet_ ). Of course, we have to drag a few chaperones along since we’re going to a foreign country, one of them being my Dad and the others being Maccay’s older sister Tessa and their mom Crystal.

            Yeah, this trip ought to be pretty exciting, provided nothing **_crazy_** happens on the way there, while we’re over there, or after we leave. But, considering who all’s going on the trip with us **_and_** the location of this b-day bash, insanity and chaos is pretty much a given. Not that it isn’t any other time; this occasion just seems to have a bit more potential for disaster to strike. It also has potential for me to do a tad of exploring too …

Not bad for a one-week trip to the countryside in good ol’ London, England huh?


	2. Chapter 1 - Over the Pond

 

     I had been sleeping peacefully since nine thirty last night; didn’t wake up a single time! On the other hand, last night was no ordinary night by any means. I had been in Underland for most of the time with Absolem…

      We’d gone through the usual routine; me yelling at him about smoking, him arguing about something that had nothing to do with smoking, looking through the Oraculum, climbing on huge mushrooms, etc… Then, something **_way_** off schedule happened.

      The White Rabbit, Nivens McTwisp, showed up. **_Late_** of course.

            He didn’t normally come this way, unless something really important was going on or there was an emergency, so I knew something was up when he hopped into sight.

            “ ** _Absolem_**!” he panted, “Do you realize what **_tomorrow_** is?!”

            “Thursday?” I asked sarcastically. I knew good and well that the calendar down here doesn’t work like ours; they don’t have days of the week the way Overlanders do. Every day has its own name, length of sunlight, weather, so on and so forth. However, only the most significantly influential days are recorded on the Oraculum.

            So, what was tomorrow supposed to be?

            “Oh, hello Allyson.” McTwisp ignored my previous comment and continued with the newsflash, “It’s **_Griblig_** Day! The real **_Alice_** has to be back by then, and I’m not quite sure I’ve found her yet. What do we do?!”

            Alice? She was real?

            “Not to worry…you have until **_sundown_** tomorrow to fetch her, not **_sunup_** Rabbit. You’ll be able to find her… It has been written in the Oraculum…therefore it shall happen…” the Caterpillar took a long puff from his hookah and blew its smoke into the already foggy air. I really do wish he’d quit that! It gets irritating after having to put up with it for seven years straight.

            “Well…alright. If you say so.” the White Rabbit stuttered, “Fairfarren Absolem, Allyson.” he waved as he jumped back through the bushes to the Hall of Doors. I guess he was headed to my world to get Alice.

            “Bye!” I turned back to the Oraculum, looking ahead to see what was happening the next day. “Am I going to get to see any of this ‘ _Griblig_ _Day_ ’ hullabaloo, Absolem?”

            He thought for a moment before answering, “Maybe…but everything would have to be timed just right… You’d have to get here at the **_exact_** same time as Alice…and that’d only work if she’s the **_right_** Alice…” he replied cryptically. He never gives me a clear response; he loves to beat around the bush because he knows how much it aggravates me.

            “Urgh.” I grunted in frustration, “A **_circle_** would give me a straighter answer than that.” the parchment in front of me rolled up tight and hid itself amongst the mushrooms around my feet.

            He chuckled, “Good luck with getting a reaction from a circle. Last time I checked, they were inanimate objects…”

            “Well ya never know down here! I could probably draw a mouth on one in this place and it’d **_sing_** for me…”

            “I’ve tried that. It didn’t work.”

            “Maybe you didn’t do it right. You never read the instructions to anything.”

            “There **_aren’t_** instructions for drawing a circle with a mouth on it.”

            “The thing probably didn’t talk back because it couldn’t hear you. I’d be willing to bet five dollars you didn’t draw ears on it **_or_** eyes so maybe it could read lips or whatever.”

            Absolem realized that I’d caught him; he couldn’t come up with a retort for that, so he just gave up, “Touché…”

            “Mmhmm.” I grinned victoriously, “That’s what I thought. Now can you send me home? I have somewhere to go in a little while.” I reminded him of my overseas flight in a few hours.

            He nodded before enveloping me in blue smoke, creating a vortex between the two dimensions - my room and the Mushroom Forest. My head seemed to spin as I was teleported from Underland to Overland, colors flashed all around me and wind howled in my ears.

            When I opened my eyes, I was back in bed and the sun was rising through my windows. “Well, time to get up…” I dragged myself onto the cold carpet to get ready for the trip.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Maccay and Mayo were the first ones to show up two hours after I’d gotten dressed and raided the cabinet for some Froot Loops. Since they lived practically next door to each other, they always carpooled when we met up somewhere; they even ride to school together on most days, “We’re home!!!” they called as they swung open the front door and dropped their bags in the hallway. Tessa and Crystal trailed behind them rolling their eyes. I felt bad for them, having to fly all the way to Great Britain with all seven of us **_and_** my dad. If they think the three of **_us_** are nutty, just wait for the other **_five_** to show up!

            “Hey guys!” I slid down the banister of the main staircase to greet my girls, “Ready to go?”

            Tessa sighed, “As we’ll ever be…” she kidded, “Where’s everybody else?”

            “They should be here in a minute. It’s not unusual for Matt and Trevor to be ‘ _fashionably late_ ’…C and Luc just texted me and said they’ll be here in any second.”

            Sure enough, before I could get another word in, a horn blew outside and I could hear the distinct voices of the three Long sisters; C’Lee, Lucy and Haley. Naturally, the only thing we could decipher from the rest of the loud conversation was…

            “I say it **_is_**!” from Lucy.

            “Contrariwise I say it **_ain‘t_**!” from C’Lee.

            And the always amusing input from the eldest, Haley, **_"Who cares_**?!”

            Haley didn’t come in; she was just dropping the twins off to get them out of her hair and into ours. The argumentative duo stormed inside, throwing their luggage to opposite sides of the foyer, angry scowls fixed on each other.

            “What is it now?” Maccay inquired. We were used to them bickering back and forth, and none of us would be the least bit surprised if they quarreled **_all_** the way to Atlanta and **_all_** the way to London and **_all_** the way back. And the **_whole_** **_time_** we were there.

            Lucy put her hands on her hips and made faces at her sister while she explained her side of the situation, “ ** _C’Lee_** says that cashews are peanuts. But **_I_** know that they’re not.”

            C’Lee reciprocated by crossing her skinny arms and turning away from her look-a-like, “ ** _Lucy_** says they’re a member of the poison ivy family. **_I_** say they’re peanuts. They look like them, they taste like them. **_They. Are. Peanuts._** ”

            The rest of us tried not to laugh, but we almost caved in… these two squabble over the craziest things!

            “We talked about that in Science class the other day…they’re part of the poison ivy family.” Mayo put her two cents in to end the fight not even bothering to look up from the book she was reading. The clashing clones knew better than to start the ’ _I told you so_ ’ bit, so they were quiet about it ( _for the most part_ ) until Matt pulled up in his dad’s Corvette and Trevor, Page and Charlie at the rear in their mom’s Tahoe. Grabbing their bags and waving to their parents and siblings, the remaining “ _Warriors_ ” dashed inside.

            “Sorry we’re late! Page wouldn’t get up when she was supposed to and Charlie kept losing his shoes.” Trevor grumbled. Poor guy; he’s the only one besides Matt and the Twins with more than one sibling. Matt, on the other hand, is fortunate because both of his older brothers have moved out already.

            Matt brushed aside some blue-and-black streaked hair and adjusted his bag straps, “We had a little car trouble, but it was nothing big. My stupid alarm clock didn’t go off at the right time either.”

            “Eh, it’s alright. Daddy hasn’t gotten here yet, so we’re not going anywhere anyway.” He’s the one that’s driving us to the airport in Atlanta, so it wouldn’t matter if they’d shown up later than what we’d agreed on if he wasn’t there to escort us. For the next thirty minutes, we had nothing to do but sit around and chat while we waited for our minibus to show up and drag us through rush hour traffic. Oh _joy_ …

            My mom came downstairs with my dog Roxi in tow, just before my dad arrived to tell us goodbye and good luck. I gave Mama a hug and kiss, and Roxi a quick scratch behind the ear before bounding out the door.

            I joined the others outside just as our ride pulled in the driveway, his long brown hair and short, stocky arm hanging out the window, “Y’all comin’?” he called over the roar of the engine.

            “You’re the one that’s late! Where were you?” I shot back. I and the rest of the eager crew boarded the bus quickly so we could get on the road.

            “Lost track of time I guess… had to feed the cats, dogs and cows before I left.”

            “Oh yeah…” I threw my hands up dramatically, “They were just gonna shrivel up and blow away…those ** _poor starving_** things!” we both knew we had the most spoiled animals in the United States, or anywhere else for that matter. Some of them ( _mainly the indoor cat, Sadie_ ) could’ve gone a whole week with no food and nobody would be able to tell the difference.

            “Mmhmm…” he snickered, closing the door after I’d sat down in the seat behind him, “Alright kiddies! Let’s get this show rollin’!” Daddy cranked up the radio to the max and sped out onto the highway.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            “It’s a miracle your dad didn’t get pulled over for speeding! How fast was he **_going_**?” Trevor was trembling when we drove into the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and hopped off the bus…well, more like wobbled off the bus really.

            “About seventy-five I guess. I wasn’t paying any attention to the speedometer.”

            “ _Good_ _grief_!” he almost swooned, grabbing his head to keep it from spinning around.

            “Oh come on,” Matt steadied him with his arm across his shoulders; “it wasn’t **_that_** bad!”

            Trev tried to walk it off, “That’s easy for **_you_** to say…you’re a little more used to that kind of speed than me…”

            “True.” the two of us chuckled as we guided him through the airport to my private hangar. He managed to get a hold of himself before we got onto the jet; _Jabberwocky_ the jet that is. The black plane hadn’t ever been used, but we’d named it as soon as we bought it, just for the heck of it. It seemed fitting considering how big and dark it was; much like the creature it’s named for. Luckily, as far as we know, it’s never killed anybody or spat fire that burned down entire villages. But like I said, it’s never been used until today.

            Our two pilots, Henry and Fred, were standing on the staircase leading up to the main cabin of the airplane, “Mornin’ kids! Ready to fly?” Henry called as we approached.

            “Heck yeah man!” I eagerly ran up the steps ahead of the group, throwing my luggage onto the overhead rack, “Let’s go!” I waved the rest of the band into the plane through the tiny window, and they made a mad dash for the airliner’s door.

            We finally got situated in our seats, bags and boxes locked away safely, soft drinks and junk food in hand…we were ready to roll! “Alright boys, let’s get this show on the road!” my Dad’s voice rang over the PA system.

            “ _Can do, Mr. McCollum!_ ”

            The rumble of the engines roaring to life shook the floor. The _Jabberwocky_ gained momentum as it sped down the runway, faster and faster, higher and higher into the air…

            And then we were airborne!

            “ _Ladies and gentlemen_ _…_ ” Fred picked up the loudspeaker, as soon as the wheels retracted into their compartments, “ _we are now **officially** on our way to London_ _._ ”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            We’d been in the air for hours now, half the band was asleep and the other half was working on it. I was dozing off bit by bit, gazing out the window as we passed cloud after cloud. My best guess as to why we were all so sleepy is that those two or three sodas apiece we drank trying to stay awake the whole time had caused a mass sugar crash. All seven of us had dropped like flies about thirty minutes after finishing off the last Mountain Dews and Mr. Pibbs, one right behind the other.

            Trevor was talking in his sleep earlier, but none of us that had still been awake could tell what he was rambling on about. He was having a very animated conversation with **_somebody_** though! I’d managed to pull out my camera and record the whole thing, as it was very humorous to the rest of the crew…it was **_sooo_** going on Facebook! He stopped after a minute or two, and then he was silent for the rest of the trip.

            I was just about to nod off when the pilot’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker, waking every snoozer in the jet in the process. “ _Alright ladies and germs, we will be landing this tin can here shortly, so please strap on your seatbelts and secure all items for touchdown._ ”

            I buzzed the cockpit on the speakerphone, “Thanks Fred.”

            “ _No problem_ **.** ”

            There was much stretching and yawning among the other occupants; groaning about not sleeping well and cricks in necks were common as well. Daddy was still out like a light, despite our futile efforts to get him up, “Oh just forget it! He’ll wake up when the plane stops.” and sure enough, when the wheels touched the ground he jolted awake.

            “Are we there yet?” he moaned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Usually he was a light sleeper, but long trips always made him more tired than he normally would be.

            “ _Attention people! You may now remove your bags from the luggage rack and exit the plane in an orderly, single-file line. Have a nice day!_ ” the co-pilot, Henry, announced.

            As we were walking off, I knocked on the door of the cockpit and stuck my head inside, “Thanks guys, we’ll be heading home in three or four days. ‘K?”

            “You got it!” I closed the door behind me and followed the others outside to try and find our ride to the Ascot’s mansion.

            The bulky Hummer limo sitting no more than a few feet from the gate was kind of hard to miss, the chauffer, however, almost blended into the jet black paint job. The small poster board in his hands read ‘ _Wonderland Warriors_ ’ in bright red letters, “Ah, good morning Miss McCollum and company. Welcome to London!” he greeted us cheerfully with that easily recognizable British accent, “My name is Xavier and I’ll be escorting you to the manor.” he nodded, opening the door for all of us to pile in.

            Admittedly, it was a bit more crowded than the bus we bought to take on tours, but it was roomy enough to squeeze everybody and their bags in. “Thanks for the ride.”

            “Believe me, the pleasure’s mine. It’s not often that we get such distinguished guests here on such short notice.”

            **_Distinguished_** , huh? Hmm, has a nice ring to it! _Snazzy_!

            I handed my bags to Trevor and climbed in, just managing to scoot in between him and the door. Things were kind of awkward among my girls and my guys, considering we were all teenagers just hitting that stage in life where everything starts to change… physically and well…you know what I mean!

            Thank goodness Trev doesn’t do very much backup singing, because his voice has been all over the place since the beginning of seventh grade. Matt’s hasn’t been noticeable, but then again, I haven’t really been paying him much mind during practice; I’ve been focusing on Trevor mostly! He’s changed so much in so short a time, it’s almost like he’s a totally different person.

            His dirty-blond hair was longer than it was in seventh grade. His sky blue eyes weren’t hiding behind those absolutely **_adorkable_** glasses all the time, the black wire-rimmed ones that he’s had ever since I could remember. And to top it all off, he’s taller than every single one of us now! Trevor used to be one of the shortest people in our band! That’s not even funny! Of course, he gets heckled about his growth spurt and voice change, but he’s usually a good sport about it until we break out the Justin Beiber jokes.

            Much to everyone’s surprise, our parents still allow the boy-girl sleepovers at my house, even though it would seem kind of taboo to most people, given our age. I’m guessing their reasons for continuously letting us spend the nights together, more often than not unsupervised, are the facts that I’ve got the biggest house and the mom with the best ability to tolerate seven teenagers for days at a time…and it’s always been our custom to meet at my house, even before the band got started.

Not much has really changed in between our band members since we’ve all gotten used to each other…none of us have dated one another ( _yet)_ and we’ve never really had any big fights or arguments ( _again, I say yet_). This could just be the “calm before the storm” though; later on we could all just blow up on each other and never speak another word to one another ever again.

I really hope that isn’t the case; I don’t want to end up as the former leader of one of those bands that are amazing the first few years, then fall apart at the seams towards the end because of inner turmoil.

            No, I want to go out in style, and with a bang! The “ _Wonderland Warriors_ ” are gonna hit the top of the world, then we’ll quit, none of us are going anywhere near rock-bottom. Not while I’m in charge! We’ll always be remembered by the generation that grows up with us on their

i-Pods and MP3 players as the band of kids that held it together just long enough to make something of themselves ( _whilst staying out of trouble simultaneously_ ).

            Ok, now enough of my dramatic ranting…we’re almost at the Ascot Manor!

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      A long, gravel driveway stretched before the proud mansion, winding through several twists and turns as we pulled out of the woods surrounding the house. Beautiful thoroughbred horses galloped through pastures on either side of the path, some stopping by the fences to gaze curiously at the limo rolling by. Birds sang from the treetops, flying to and fro all around us, their feathers bright flashes in between the leaves and the sky.

      It was almost like a scene in a fairytale. Picture perfect. All it was missing was the prince on his white stallion and a princess leaning out her balcony window to wave to her knight in shining armor.

            Ugh, the cliché…it **_burns_**!!!!

It’s not that I don’t like the sappily er, I mean ** _happily_** ever-afters that Hollywood always sticks at the end of movies, it’s just that I’m so used to them that they get a little boring after awhile. You’d think that, after awhile, the directors and producers would get tired of them too! Is it a crime to make a movie with an unhappy ending?

            Anyway, that’s beside the point.

            “Whoa…nice place!” Matt rolled his window down, letting a cool breeze fill the backseat of the Hummer.

“Seriously! What I want to know is when these people are gonna adopt us! I want to **_live_** here!” Mayo gazed in awe at her dream home.

            I laughed and shook my head, “Mayo, if they took all of **_us_** in, we’d be back in the States within the week. These people would **_pay_** our parents to come get us!” this comment snowballed into a tear-jerking round of laughter, because we knew that was the honest-to-God truth.

            The driver, Xavier, rolled down the divider between us and the driver's compartment where he and our chaperones were sitting, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Ascot Manor.” he smiled into the rearview mirror.

            We’d finally arrived!


	3. Chapter 2 - The White Rabbit?!

 

     "Oh! **_There_** you all are!” Mrs. Alyssa Ascot called from the side of the enormous house as we unloaded from the limo, “It’s so nice to finally meet you. Our daughter is ever so excited to have you here at her party!” She had dark, strawberry red, curly hair and dark brown eyes that sparkled in the bright sunlight. Her husband, Terrace, stood beside her, his ginger hair and shocking green eyes glowed to match hers.

            I stared at the three-story manor behind her, still dumbstruck by how utterly amazing this place was. The lawn was perfectly mowed; not a blade of grass was out of place. The shrubs were trimmed with unrealistic symmetry, the flower beds planted just so… and don’t even get me started on the statues!

            Ok, Trevor…settle down now! No need to have a massive heart attack over some bushes dude. Seriously…chill.

            Allyson smiled, approaching the lady of the house excitedly, “Glad to be here! This is a very beautiful house you have here.” she added with her innate Southern charm and accent.

            Even though it was just the beginning of spring, she was already a light tan that accentuated her dark brown eyes and almost black hair. She’s the tallest girl ( _well, she’s tied with Maccay…_ ) in the band. She’s the toughest _’Warrior_ ’ girl though, no contest! I’ve never met another teenage girl that can run a band, survive middle school, be an ( _awesome_ ) artist, play piano, baby-sit her twenty-something younger cousins, sing and **_still_** be somewhat sane! She does it all…every single day! And on top of all **_that_** , she puts up with the rest of the “ _Wonderland Warriors_ ”! Allyson is one in a million!

            Or, that’s what **_I_** think at least…

            “Hey, yo… Trevor!” Matt waved his hand in front of my face, “If you’re gonna stare at her take a picture. It lasts longer.”

            For a minute, I was confused, “Huh? Oh…what, no!” I shook my head feverishly, “I wasn’t staring at **_her_** …I was looking at the **_house_**!” I managed to stammer, but he obviously didn’t believe me. His blue-grey eyes rolled, one eyebrow arched and mouth turned up at one end in a smirk, in one of Allyson’s signature expressions.

            “Yeah right…sure. **_Whatever_** helps you sleep at night dude.” he swished some of his blue and black banded curls away from his face, “Ya know, if you like her so much…why don’t you ask her out already?”

            “I uh…..well I….”

            “Yes?” he crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently.

            I really didn’t know what to say to that…I just shrugged, “Never really thought about it I guess…” Truthfully, I was just afraid she’d say no to me; I’ve never been really good with rejection…or girls in general for that matter.

            He lightly punched my shoulder, and then dragged me toward the backyard where the rest of the band, including Allyson, were gathered and talking to the Ascots, “C’mon man! You mean to tell me that you’ve **_never_** thought about asking her to be your girlfriend? **_Ever_**?”

“I didn’t say I…well…I **_have_** , but…” it was really no use trying to change the subject with Matt, he’s one of those friends that everyone has that, once you bring a subject up, they won’t shut their traps until they get the whole freakin’ story out of you. Between him and my not-so-secret secret crush, the two of them were the worst about that I’d ever seen. They just don’t give up! “I don’t think she likes me like that.” I sighed in defeat.

            “How do you know if you’ve never asked her?”

            Truthfully, I didn’t know whether or not she liked _anybody_ like that. She didn’t talk about who she likes around us guys, and of course the girls wouldn’t tattle on her. There had been a rumor in seventh grade that she wanted to go out with me, but if I’ve learned anything from hanging out with her, it’s her favorite quote ( _that she came up with herself, I might add_ ) “Everything is not what it seems, and what it seems is not everything.” In other words, gossip is more often than not just a bunch of hogwash, and there’s a lot more to the truthful side of it than meets the ear, “I **_don’t_** know.”

            “Didn’t think you did…now c’mon Trevor! Can you just promise you’ll think about asking her? I’d hate to see my two best friends **_not_** end up together…I need something new to pick on her about.” Matt joked with a seemingly straight face. He was able to hold himself together until I shot him one of those “ha-ha…very **_funny_** ” glares…then he starts cracking up.

            Giving in to his peer pressure ( _which almost always ends in disaster_ ), I threw my arms into the air in surrender and decided to give him what he wanted, “ ** _Fine_**! _Fine_! I’ll ask her! Jeez! Are you **_happy_** now?”

            His eyes got as big as the rest of his head and his smirk reminded me of his Underland counterpart, “ ** _Awesome_**! When and where?”

            “Here… today. Not sure what time…do we need to synchronize our watches _?_ ” now it was my turn to take jabs at him. The “ _Charlie’s Angels_ ” reference was all I had at the moment, but it’s better than nothing…I guess.

            “Hardeeharhar…very original Trevor. Just let me know when you get the answer or whatever. I need to know if and when the wedding’s gonna happen and whether or not I’ll need to baby-sit any time soon. You two honeymooning in Vegas or Hawaii?”

            “Just shut up and get on somewhere with ya bad self!” I shooed him off before he could tease me anymore. He chuckled and jogged away, toward the area where the stage platform had been placed.

            Our stage had already been set up, thanks to two weeks of planning ahead, and most of our instruments where there as well. The only things it lacked were us and the **_ridiculous_** costumes we’d been talked into wearing… I wasn’t even going to be **_onstage_** during the show, but Allyson had insisted that **_all_** seven of us dress up. None of the girls seemed to mind much, but us guys weren’t exactly thrilled.

            Oh well… at least it’s not as bad as Halloween last year…I am **_NOT_** even gonna go there. I **_still_** have nightmares…yeesh!

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

             The patio in the back of the house was practically overflowing with kids that barely even came up to my shoulders, all of them dressed in “ _Alice in Wonderland_ ” outfits and carrying teacups and tarts. They were out on the wooden deck dancing ( _well, trying to anyway_ ) and attempting to play a game of croquet. The ball they were playing with was painted to look like little colorful hedgehogs, and their mallets had pink feathers and beaks like flamingos. The roses surrounding the backyard were both red and white, and all were in perfect bloom. It was almost like we’d stepped onto the movie set itself!

            I saw dozens of Red Queens, White Rabbits, Mad Hatters, cards, chess pieces, Cheshire Cats, and even a Knave or two, but I didn’t see any Alices. There might have even been a Jabberwocky, but there was no sign of the little blonde heroine.

            That is, until the host and hostess’ daughter, Rosie arrived, “Mummy! Daddy! Are they here yet?” she called, flaxen hair billowing out behind her as she sprinted for her parents. She had a black, silk ribbon through her curls, a sky blue and vanilla white dress was accented by black and white striped socks a shiny baby doll shoes. She had bright hazel eyes that lit up as soon as she caught sight of the seven of us standing in the garden, “Oh my goodness! You’re here! You’re **_really_** **_here_**!” she clapped her tiny hands together and hopped up and down excitedly, “I can’t believe you made it!”

            “I’m glad we did. It seems like you’ve got quite the party going on here!” I smiled at the tiny girl. “Oh, I almost forgot!” I slid my hand into the top pocket of my book bag and pulled out a black gift box wrapped with a thin, blue ribbon. “Can’t forget a present for the birthday girl…”

            Her pale hand reached out happily and pried the little package open, her face beaming with joy as she pulled the necklace out, “Oh! It’s so pretty!”

            The silver chain held a small glass bottle labeled “ _Drink Me_ ” that was filled with clear gel, and an almost microscopic crimson rose incased within the serum. A metal skeleton key dangled beside it, along with a golden heart and silver crown pendant.

            “Where did you get that?” her mother asked in astonishment. She held the charms up in the light, inspecting the craftsmanship.

            “To be quite honest ma’am…” although she wouldn’t believe this, I’d tell her anyway, “a friend of mine in Wonderland is rather handy when it comes to this sort of thing.” I winked while Rosie wasn’t looking, so only her parents would catch it. They both grinned, unknowingly having just been told a secret that neither of them should ever have heard, or could ever understand.

            She hopped in place elatedly, “Please, would you put it on for me?” she turned around, handing me the two ends of the chain. I unclasped the hook with some difficulty, since my fingernails weren’t quite long enough for me to get a hold on it, and looped it through the hole on the other end.

            “There ya go! It looks gorgeous on you, Rosie.”

            Her petite arms wrapped around my waist, nearly squeezing all the air out of me, “Oh, I don’t know how to thank you enough! I love it! I’ll _never_ take it off, _ever_!” she grinned from ear to ear as she pulled away. Rosie ran toward the garden yelling for her brother, who was standing by the fountain in the center, “Jack! Jack! Look what I got! Look!”

            He was one of the Knaves that I’d seen tromping around the yard, and he really could’ve passed for Stayne himself! His eyes were a light coffee brown, his short wavy hair was a little darker than mine ( _which might as well be black_ ) and he was pretty tall and slim for his age. Jack’s costume was pretty “spiffy”, as Lucy would say; his “armor” was shiny silver ( _spray paint that is_ ), a shin-length cape flowed down his shoulders and over one arm. His boots came up to his knees, and were a glossy raven black to match his gloves. Jack even had a fake sword and dagger on either side of his waist, hanging from his belt. A fiery red, heart-shaped eye patch covered his left eye, and three jagged “scars” were drawn around it.

            Man, I wonder how he got such a wicked awesome outfit!?

            He and his little sister soon returned to our little group, “Afternoon, ladies...gentlemen.” Jack extended his somewhat bony hand and actually bowed as each of us took it. His voice even had the devilish charm of the Knave from the movie! The **_real_** Stayne, however, has yet to be found in Underland, so we can’t very well judge whether or not Tim Burton’s character is as close as his other interpretations were.

            “Hi….” was all the girls could manage. Matt, Trevor and I, on the other hand, weren’t nearly as impressed. I could tell he was about to make an attempt to flirt with me, but his dad came to my rescue and cut him off…much to Jack’s annoyance.

            “Well guys, you have quite a bit of time before you perform…” Mr. Ascot checked his watch; two days before show time, “so you can take your things inside, and feel free to explore the grounds as you like. Just don’t wander off too far, alright?”

            “Alright. C’mon guys, let’s get this stuff in the house so we can go look around.” pulling both straps of my bag onto my shoulder, I turned and began hiking up a small hill to the back door of the mansion.

            “Where do we need to put our things sir?” Maccay got her voice back from her “close encounter” with Jack, so that she could ask his dad where to throw our junk so it’d be out of the way.

            Mrs. Ascot threw both hands into the air, as if it didn’t matter where we put it, “Just lay it by the door…we can move it later!” and with that, she and her husband danced off to join the children that were playing and giggling all around them.

            “Well, y’all heard the lady! Let’s go!” Matt herded the rest of the group up the pathway of cobblestone to the house.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      After laying our luggage where ( _hopefully_ ) no one would trip over it, the seven of us raced back outside to join the party. We soon split off into little groups, only catching glimpses of each other in the crowd.

      I’d begun to wander off toward the woods that lay just on the edge of the rose garden, when I heard the twins giggling behind me, “What’s so funny?”

      Lucy had a devious smirk plastered all over her face, and her look-alike shared the expression, “We know something that you don’t!” they teased in unison, “It’s a secret!” C’Lee added.

      “We’re still going to tell you though.” Lucy contradicted the “mystery” that the two of them withheld. What good is telling someone that something is a secret if you’re going to tell them anyway?

“If we tell her, it won’t be a surprise anymore! She won’t be surprised if she knows already, smart one!”

            “Will you be surprised?” the second twin asked, clearly wanting me to be shocked by whatever piece of news they were about to deliver. I was never really one for anything that wasn’t premeditated down to the tiniest detail, but I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to humor these two for a few minutes.

            “Sure, go ahead….try me.” I shrugged, shifting my weight to my right leg.

            “Well,” C’Lee put her thin hand on my left shoulder, “according to a **_very_** reliable source…”

            Lucy put her hand on my right shoulder, “That source being our own ears…”

            They didn’t get anything else out of their mouths when Maccay scurried over and ran them off with a “gentle” shove towards the house, “Go on now! Shoo! Shoo!” she glared the Twins down until they turned and shuffled away in exasperation, irritated that they didn’t get to spill the beans. “Gosh, never in my life have I seen such gossipy girls!”

            “What was that all about? Why won’t you let them tell me?” now that the opportunity to hear some big secret that might involve myself had been taken, my curiosity was going to slowly eat away at me until someone told me what was going on. Fortunately for me, Maccay has a bad habit of divulging such secrets unintentionally…especially when she tried to shut other people up about it. It was just a matter of waiting for her slip up…

            “ ** _They_** weren’t supposed to tell you that they overheard Trevor tell Matt that he was going to ask you out at some point today… and did **_I_** just tell you what you weren’t supposed to hear?” she caught herself a little too late.

            “Yes and……wait a minute **_what_**?!” I did a double take. That was **_not_** what I’d been expecting! “Trevor’s gonna **_what_**?!” I exclaimed in a low, growling whisper.

            Maccay’s eyes darted around nervously, looking for an escape, “Um…oh gee! Look at the time, I gotta- oh hey it’s Jack!” she was cut off mid-sentence by the Ascot’s son strutting like a peacock behind me, “Listen, Matt wanted me to meet him by the fountain…he’s got to tell me something, so I’ll see you guys around…ok?” without waiting for a reply, she left me to fend for myself against “Ilosovic Stayne Jr.”.

            “Uh…sure.” I half-waved to her as she jogged in the opposite direction, then I turned to Jack, “Oh, hey…” my voice didn’t exactly sound very _enthused_ about this encounter…if it had, however, then it would’ve been lying, and that‘s not something I usually do.

            “Hello Allyson.” he sneered roguishly, trying to pull the usual bad boy “charisma” over on me. Although it would’ve been obvious to any other bonehead trying to woo me, this guy just couldn’t get a clue that I was **_not_** impressed. Just my luck, “Would you like to take a walk and see the roses?” he offered me his arm, in a cheesy act of “chivalry” that I rejected by sticking my hands into my pocket. He lowered his arm in defeat.

            “Sure. I’ve got time to kill.”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      We walked side by side among the rose bushes, talking absentmindedly about this and that; Jack did most of the talking. I just nodded or replied with “Mmhmm.” or “Yeah, cool.” as was needed. Why he thought that I was actually listening is beyond me…but apparently he believed I was all ears.

      “Do you know what all the colors of the roses mean?” he inquired, getting a little too far into my personal bubble.

            “Well…yellow is for friends, white is purity, pink is sweetness, black is darkness and uh…death, and red is passion and love…why?” I let my fingers trail across the petals of the nearest bush, feeling their soft surface and letting the scent rub off onto my hand. I’ve always loved the scent of roses; they’re my favorite flowers.

            “Oh, no reason…just wondering if you knew what lavender roses stand for.” he tried to put his arm over my shoulder while I wasn’t watching him, but I jumped at a sound from the bushes and the flash of white, landing about two inches away from him, “What?! What’s wrong?”

            I shook off the initial shock from noise, and scanned the shrubs for the source, “ _Nothing_! Nothing…I just thought I saw something. Now, what were you saying about lavender roses?” My body shuddered with disbelief; it couldn’t have been what I thought it was! There was no way!

            Or _was_ there?

            He edged closer, like a guy would to his girlfriend at a scary movie right before the music hit a climax and the monster jumps out, “Well, supposedly, they mean love at first sight…” and he pulled out a pale amethyst colored rose, pushing it toward my hand.

            “O-oh…really?”

            His eyebrows went up and his hands went to his hips while I stared awestruck at the gorgeous rose, “So what do you think you saw?” he squinted like he was really looking for it, but I knew he was just teasing me.

            Just as I lifted my arm to point behind us, I heard the same noise again, only farther ahead of us, “There it went again! Did you see it?” This time I didn’t just see white, I saw blue and gold… a waistcoat and a watch.

            McTwisp! He really **_was_** up here in Overland!

            Jack shook his head, “No, I didn’t see it. I was too busy looking at you…” then he tried to grab my hand, but Trevor’s voice calling from the end of the rose maze discouraged his attempted Public Display of Affection.

            “Allyson! C’mere! I need to talk to you! Hurry!” he waved to me urgently, and casting a quick, somewhat apologetic glance to Jack, I ran over to Trevor.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      “So you saw him too?!” I latched onto Trevor’s shoulder as we sauntered briskly through the trees on the outskirts of the garden. I had no clue where we were going, and to be honest, he probably didn’t either.

      “He ran right past me!” Trev waved his arms up and down to emphasize his point, “I almost tripped over him! If McTwisp had come any closer, I’d be brushing grass off my jeans right now. What’s he doing up here anyway?”

            I recalled the dream from last night, “He told Absolem and me that he was still looking for Alice…but why would he be in our time period? She lived around a hundred fifty-something years ago… not recently.” I shrugged.

            “Weird…”  
            “Yea- hey!”

            “What!?” he whirled around just as some grass next to our path rustled, and a white shape darted by, “Was that…?”

            I nodded, “C’mon…let’s see where he’s going!” and started sprinting after the bounding bunny.

            The two of us took to our heels and chased the White Rabbit down wooded trails, through clover-filled meadows, and farther into the trees…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Allyson was so far ahead of me by the time McTwisp disappeared into the tree trunk, all I could see was the back of her head. The thudding of her Converse on the hard-packed dirt path seemed like the only sound in the whole forest besides our ragged breathing and the rustling of the grass where the Rabbit had been. It was almost like all the world was standing still while we chased him…like they were all watching and holding their breath.

      “Dang it! Where’d he go?!” she huffed when she lost sight of McTwisp in the brambles and weeds around the hole at the base of a gnarled old tree.

            I pointed among the tangled mess, “He went down there…so there’s no way we can get him now.” disappointed, I started back towards the mansion, which now seemed farther away than it was earlier. Man, how long had we been running?! We had to be at least a mile away!

            “No, wait a minute.” Allyson kicked aside whatever was blocking her way and leaned over the pit in the earth. Her hands were braced on either side of the roots, only a shoulder’s-width apart, as she peered into the hole, “Hey McTwisp! You down there? **_Hello_**!!!!!” she called.

            No reply.

            “Be careful…I don’t want you to-”

            “Fall in and get hurt? C’mon Trevor! You **_really_** think I’d be able to squeeze in there?” she turned her head to me and snickered, “I don’t think **_all this_** is gonna fit down that itty-bitty hole.”

            “Well, the ground may not be as strong as you think…it could be completely hollow where you’re standing right now, and you wouldn’t know until it was too late.” I continued trying to warn her…although I knew she was just about as immovable as a statue.

            She batted her eyelashes and sat back on her heels, “So? Wouldn’t you come _save_ me?” she put her hands on her hips. I was **_so_** busted.

            “Well…I would _try_ , but…”

            “Maccay told me ya know. She didn’t mean to of course but…” Allyson’s face went from playful to the rarely seen on her shy, bashful expression. Her eyes darted around nervously, the dimples in her cheeks deepening as she smiled.

            “Oh…she did?” my heart sank. What was she gonna say? Would she totally blow me off? Or maybe……would today be a lucky day?

            Not after what happened next!

            I crossed my arms over my chest to keep my heart from pounding a hole through it, and slowly edged towards her, “S-so…?”

            “What?”

            “Well? W-what do ya say?”

            Her smile fell a tiny bit, and her gaze was averted to the ground, “Uh…I…well…” she twisted around so that she was sitting on the ground in front of the tree, facing me.

            Big mistake.

            It all happened so quickly that neither one of us knew what was happening until the crack of the earth and the tree roots being torn from the dirt pierced the silence. Allyson fell backwards and disappeared into the narrow hole within a matter of seconds; I blinked and then she was gone.

            “ ** _Trevor_**! Trevor! Help me!” she screamed in terror. Her fingers had a death-grip on one of the roots just below the surface, but she was slipping fast.

            Shaking off the temporary paralysis, I raced over and locked my hands around hers and tried to pull her out. Not as easy as it sounds, “Stay still…I’ve got you Allyson, chill out! You keep squirming like this and I’m gonna drop you!” I was down on my knees over the hole, struggling to keep my hold on her for all the wriggling and kicking she was doing.

            Her sandy brown eyes narrowed to angry, cat-like slits as she glared up at me, “ _Trevor_ _Turner_ ……I **_swear_ **on **_all_ **that is **_good_ **and **_holy_** , if you let me go…so help me I will- _Ah_!” she yelped as she lost her footing on the wall of the tunnel. Her nails dug into my skin and her arms tensed up, pulling me closer to her and into the hole.

            “Ow! Hey! Cut it out! If you want to get out, you need to relax.” I scolded her, readjusting my hands around her wrists, “Don’t freak out…I promise I won’t let you fall if you just **_calm down_**.”

            She went completely limp, dangling her feet underneath her like a rag doll.

            Every muscle in my back and my arms felt like they were going to rip and send both of us plummeting to our doom as I tried my hardest to drag her out. She wasn’t as light as I thought she’d be, “Trevor, come **_ON_**! I cannot be **_that_** heavy! You freakin' lift weights man! GET ME OUT!” she snapped.

            I swished my bangs out of my eyes and used my shoulder to wipe the sweat off my forehead, “Hey, my weights don’t move **_or_** need an attitude adjustment! They’re considerably easier to pick up!” I shot back.

            “What’s **_that_** supposed to mean?!”

            “Oooh… _never mind_!”

            She finally found a firm footing on a thick root protruding from the side of the hole and, balancing on the toes of her Converse, pushed herself forward and partially onto the grass. I almost had her! She was nearly safe!

            Almost. Nearly.

            Allyson was slowly but surely pulling herself out of the hole, so I eased back with my grip on her arms, only barely grasping them. I pulled my feet out from under myself to squat above the hole, so that my legs wouldn’t fall asleep and to help give her a little more room for when she finally escaped.

            Then it hit me……literally.

            I raised my head too quickly because she got a little too close on her last attempt to jump off the root and onto the ground above her, so I knocked my skull against the trunk of the tree on the way up. Now, as you’ve probably experienced yourself, it’s a natural reflex to reach up and grab your head when you hit it on something…I don’t recommend doing so whilst you’re holding onto another person that is about to fall to near-certain death in a rabbit’s borough.

            Our hands were no longer intertwined, her fingers quickly slipping through mine and grabbing at the air as she fell. All of the roots seemed to have retracted just out of her reach, so there was no way to stop her from plummeting into the darkness below, “ ** _Trevor_**!!!” she screamed, her voice fading into an echo as she plunged farther and farther out of my sight.

            “ ** _Allyson_**!!!” I snatched at the place where her hand had been, only missing her by mere inches. She was gone. I’d let her go, “Oh this is _bad_ …really, really _bad_! What if she’s dead? What if I just killed her?!” panic began to seep in, and I was pacing back and forth with anxiety, “If she dies…she’ll come back and haunt **_me_** for **_sure_**! She always said ‘ _When I die…I’m coming back to haunt the daylights outta y’all!'_ Should I run for help? Will I remember how to get back out here if I do? But…what if she **_didn’t_** die? What if she’s slowly crawling back up the tunnel, foaming at the mouth and growling like some wild animal? What if I’m just paranoid?”

            I tried to shake the ridiculous image from my mind, but it was hard not to think that she’d be just a _tad_ bit miffed if she **_was_** perfectly ok after all that. Personally, I don’t think I’d blame her for wanting to bite my head off if she makes it out either…I know I’d be ticked if somebody dropped **_me_** down a rabbit hole!

            Man…I really hope she’s not hurt…but she is **_sooo_** gonna kill me if she gets out of there!

 


	4. Chapter 3 - Falling Into Underland

I am **_sooo_** gonna kill him when I get out of here…

Well… ** _if_** I ever get out of here…

My hair whipped into my eyes, stinging my face and obstructing my view of the random objects flying by me as I fell. Thank God it was in a ponytail…otherwise I wouldn’t be able to see **_ANYTHING_**! I guess that’s one of the many pitfalls of having so much on your head at one time. I’ve considered getting a pixie cut, but I just can’t pull off the short hairdo. Believe me…I’ve tried it.

            I was getting all tangled up, my arms and legs twisting and turning uncontrollably in the powerful wind that seemed to be blowing from down below. Unable to repress my voice, screams occasionally slipped out of my mouth when I’d get dangerously close to hitting the wall or whatever happened to be passing by at the moment. My hands reached out for the roots or anything else I could get a hold on, but my fingers always slipped at the last possible second.

            Anything else on the wall was too far away for me to grasp; paintings, tribal masks, maps, mirrors, and bookshelves full of things that don’t belong inside a rabbit hole. What kind of whacky place am I in?!

            Oh gosh… ** _no_** **_way_** …am I headed into **_Underland_**?!

            Well, on the bright side…if that’s the case, at least I’ll know what to do when I get down there! Seeing as how I’ve gone “ _downstairs_ ”, as we like to call it, countless times, this should all be a breeze ( _provided that’s actually where I’m going…otherwise I **may** be in some trouble…_).

            I continued to fall for what seemed like hours, and while doing so, managed to “land” on a piano and nearly get crushed by a bookcase full of empty jam and marmalade jars. After dodging almost a houseful of furniture and knick knacks, I landed face-first on a bed that was sticking out of the wall and blacked out from the impact; the last thing I remember was careening wildly off the mattress, spinning head-over-heels into the blackness that followed.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      A sudden, jarring impact shook me from my unconsciousness, as I fell through a thick wooden surface into a dimly lit room. I rolled down the wall and fell to the hard timber floor, knocking the breath out of myself in the process, “Ooft!” grunting, I sat up to inspect my new surroundings; the Round Room, at the edge of the Garden of Live Flowers……in Underland!

            So I really **_did_** end up here! I never thought that falling, or in my case, getting **_dropped_** , down a Rabbit Hole would actually send me to this place…I just thought I’d end up in the ER, or worse…

            Making sure that I didn’t need to be headed to the hospital when I found my way home, I looked down at my arms and legs to assure myself that nothing was broken, and noticed that my entire wardrobe had changed by itself out of the blue! Instead of my grey “Queen of Heartbreakers” t-shirt and charcoal skinny jeans, a full-length red and black short sleeved dress’s skirt was pooled around my legs. My Converse had been replaced with black leather, knee-high lace-up boots. My hair had managed to stay in its ponytail, big black bow still intact.

            Just as I’d finished admiring the intricate lace choker around my neck, I realized too late that I was upside down. Gravity soon took over and threw me to the ground below, this time, landing me on my back and cracking my head on the floor. “ _Ahhh_! Shoot! Gah that hurts!” I yelped, rubbing my neck.

            “Oh my! Are you alright?” a quiet female voice exclaimed from the other side of the room. I sat up and spun around to my left to see who or what the voice was coming from, and was very much surprised to come face-to-face with another girl.

            She had to be older than me - maybe nineteen or twenty - she had long, curly blonde hair, hazel eyes, and was in desperate need of a tan. The girl wore a sky blue dress that came just above her ankles, with white and grey boots that almost matched mine underneath.

            Wait a minute……could it be?

            “Yeah, I’m fine. You must be Alice, right?” I pushed myself off the floor and dusted myself off. I’m gonna get Trevor and that goofy McTwisp for this! Make me fall and nearly bust my rear end, will they?! Just wait ‘til Mirana and Absolem hear about this!

            She cocked her head to one side, “Yes, but…how did you know my name? And who are you?” she asked, clearly unnerved by my “psychic” abilities.

            I knew I had to think of something quick…but what? “Oh! Sorry! I’m Allyson. And about knowing your name…well, a **_friend_** of mine told me that an Alice would be here sometime today…you didn’t by chance get down here by following a white rabbit and then plummeting down a rabbit hole, did you?” If she’d chased McTwisp ( _only “the” Alice can actually see him_ ), then she was the famous Alice Kingsleigh that I see on the Oraculum all the time! She’s the stuff of legends down here in Underland!

            “Well…” she paused for a moment, “I **_did_** actually…Is that how you got here too?”

            I rubbed the slowly growing bump on the back of my head, “More or less…” I grumbled, “I didn’t technically **_fall_** …I was unintentionally **_dropped_** down here by my _dear_ friend _Trevor._ ” **_My_** cranium may be sore now, but **_his_** is really going to be aching when **_I_** get done with it!

            “That must’ve been quite an experience…”

            “Tch…No kidding…”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            The young girl I just met here in this strange hall beneath the Rabbit Hole seems to be quite an interesting character! Judging by her accent, she’s undoubtedly American. Allyson, as she calls herself, can’t be more than fourteen or fifteen years old, as she’s rather short and not completely “matured” just yet. Her dark brunette hair looks to be about the same length as mine, but she has it pulled up in a ponytail, so it’s hard to tell, and her eyes are a rich, earthy brown.

      She finally got to her feet, “So, is there any way out of here? It seems like a rather tight space to me, and I don’t do well in tight spaces…” I inquired; she gave the impression of knowing a lot more about wherever we are than I do, so it only seemed logical to ask her.

            Allyson reached her hand down to help me up, “Well…I’ve only been here one other time, but this time I don’t have my keys…so unless one of these doors is unlocked, we may have to wait awhile.” she sighed, pulling me to my feet, “I really hope somebody remembered to unlock one of these things…I don’t want to have to spend the night in here. It is **way** too cramped…”

            We each took a doorknob in our hands and twisted them as hard as possible, but none of them would budge. No matter how much we turned and jerked the handles, not a single door would open, not a centimeter, “This is hopeless! They’re all locked!” I wailed. Allyson growled with frustration, giving the last door a good kick with her heel.

            “Figures…if I’ve told them **_once_** , I’ve told these people a **_thousand_** times not to lock the doors to this thing! They **_know_** this is where we end up if we fall down that hole, but they lock it anyway! It’s not like anybody’s going to try and go **_up_** the Rabbit Hole! Jeez!” she ranted, hands on her hips and foot tapping impatiently. I would’ve laughed, but I didn’t want to anger her any further; I didn’t know how she would react, so I just stayed quiet.

            My hands dropped listlessly to my side in defeat, “Well now what? Are we stuck in here until someone realizes we’re trapped?” I asked fretfully; who knows how long it would take to figure out that we were locked in here!

            “I guess so- hey!” Allyson exclaimed, something having caught her eyes, “Where’d that table come from?!” she cried out in surprise. Sure enough, there was a three-legged glass table in the middle of the room that hadn’t been there a few minutes ago, with a golden key sitting atop it.

            “I don’t know…try the key in these doors! Maybe it opens one of them!”

            She took the teeny key and stuck it into the first keyhole she saw but it was too small, the entire bottom end of it was swallowed by the lock. She tried the next door and the next door, but either the door was too big or the key was way too small…the key didn’t fit a single door in the hall!

            Until…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      This whole door fiasco was really starting to irk me; this stupid key didn’t work in **_any_** of the seven doors in the Round Hall! It was too small! There’s supposed to be a smaller, eighth door here somewhere, but I don’t see anything of the sort. All I see now between the first and last door that I tried is a red satin curtain…

            Oh…yeah… ** _duh_**!

            I pushed the drapes aside and, sure enough, the one foot tall door was hidden behind it! Dropping to my knees, I slid the little key into the keyhole and pushed the doorway open. Falling flat onto my stomach, I crawled as far as I could through the very small opening ( _which was up until my hips got caught in the doorframe_ ) to see what was beyond.

            Way off in the distance, I could make out the gate of the Garden of Live Flowers, roses and daisies poking up over the walls, weeds and vines choking out everything outside of the barriers. It looked like there was somebody standing on the cobblestone pathway that cut through the middle of the garden, but I couldn’t tell who it was from so far away. We needed to get out of here and down that road! I was tired of sitting here in the Hall…it was way too crowded in here, even with just two people!

            I wriggled back inside, letting the door swing closed behind me, “Well, unless we spontaneously develop the ability to shrink ourselves, we’re gonna have to find another way to get out this door.” Placing the key back on the tabletop, I picked up the bottle that had appeared out of nowhere and read the label that was tied to the neck… _Drink Me_.

            Ugh…it was pishsavler. Gross.

            I popped the cork to make sure, taking a good whiff of the liquid inside, “ _Ack_!” I coughed from the sharp fumes, “Yup…that is **_definitely_** pishsavler. _Bleh_!”

            Alice cocked her head to the side and reached for the bottle, “What’s that?” I handed her the bottle and watched her stunned expression when she picked up the scent of the potion, “Oh my!”

            “ ** _That_** , Alice, is our only way out…unfortunately.”

            She gazed at me in horror, “You…surely you don’t mean we have to **_drink_** this!” she gasped. I nodded.

            “You think it **_smells_** awful…just wait ‘til you **_taste_** it. That stuff has a real kick to it! Trust me.” My memories of my first swig of pishsavler were none too fond; that was truly the nastiest thing I’d ever swallowed in my whole life! “Feel free to drink it first, by the way.”

            “Well…it’s only a dream, right?" she gave me a sideways glance before reluctantly putting the flask to her lips and tipping it back, gagging at the terrible flavor. Alice’s body rapidly became smaller and smaller, her clothes fell all around her as they became much too big for her nine inch high self. She crawled out from under her dress, wearing only an undergarment made of lace and thin cotton, “Alright, now it’s **_your_** turn.” she grumbled.

            I took the bottle off the table, shuddering at just the thought of how nasty this stuff was gonna taste, “ _Over the teeth and through the gums, look out stomach, here it comes_ …” I took the smallest sip possible, but I still ended up hacking and grabbing my stomach from the vapors and the disgusting tang of the pishsavler.

            Now I was barely eight inches tall, and my clothes were so big that I could step through the sleeve of the dress! Thankfully, I had on a similar garment to Alice’s underneath, only mine was black, red and gold instead of blue, grey and silver, “Well…now that that’s over with…let’s get outta here!” I grabbed hold of my skirt and dashed over to the door, glad to be free of this claustrophobic room.

            No such luck! The door had locked itself back!

            “Super…” I rolled my eyes in exasperation.

            Alice stared up at the glass tabletop, “Ah! We left the key up there!” she pointed in dismay to the key that was just out of our reach.

            “Oh well that’s **_fan freakingtastic_**! _Of course_!”

            “What are we going to do?!” she moaned, jumping up and down, desperately trying to hoist herself onto the table. Alice, however, wasn’t strong enough, her grip slipping off the polished metal edge. She attempted to climb up the glass legs, but they were too slippery for her bare feet to get a foothold. Figures that something like this would happen to me…and I’ve been down here **_way_** more than she has! I should know all the tricks and loopholes to this stuff, but apparently not.

            Unbeknownst to us, we were being watched the entire time…

           

“ _You’d think she’d remember this from the first time…_ ” a voice said as the owner’s eye peered into one of the doors behind us.

    Someone pushed him aside and took his place at the peephole, “ _McTwisp! You ninny! You brought the wrong Alice! And you brought Allyson; she’s not even supposed to be he-_ ”

            Another voice cut the girl off, the White Rabbit’s voice, “ _She’s the right one! I’m **certain** of it! And Absolem said to bring Allyson down here…he’s got something for her to do, and she can help Alice if need be._” McTwisp shot back indignantly, “ _She knows what she’s doing._ ”

            The girl rolled her eyes, “ _She sure has a funny way of showing it._ ”

           

Meanwhile, I was searching for some way to get back up to where the key was. There, of course, weren’t any spare keys lying around, and no ladders anywhere in sight. Just as I was about to give up and try to kick the door in, a metal box caught the dim candlelight and consequently, my attention. I stood on the other side of the table from Alice, crouching underneath the base of the legs until I found what I was looking for, “Ah- ** _ha_**! Fear not Alice!” I called her over, “I’ve found some Upelkuchen!”

            She knitted her dark eyebrows together in confusion, “You found _what_?”

            “Upelkuchen! It’s a cake that makes you grow taller!” I beamed triumphantly. Our problems were finally solved! “Watch this!” taking a small bite out of the corner, I waited for the tonic inside the icing to take effect.

            My dress suddenly grew smaller and smaller, until it was just above my ankles and my head was level with the top of the table, “Hey Alice, hop on!” I held my hand out to lift her onto the surface of the table. She crawled into my palm, and I hauled her up onto the counter to retrieve the key. She clutched it tightly as she slid off the table back into my hand, “Alright! Let’s get through that door!”

            Alice didn’t even give me time to get her close to the floor before she leapt out of my hand and flounced over to the door to unlock it.

           

The voices outside continued to whisper, “ _I still say that’s not her._ ”

            “ _That is the right Alice and I am sure of it!_

           

We pushed the door open and as the wind rushed in from outside, I grinned and took the first step onto the path. I ushered her out into the open, waving my arms to show the vastness of the land before us. She gaped in awe at the amazing sights all around her; the rocking horse-fly, the dragonfly ( _that actually looks like a tiny dragon_ ), and the borogroves ( _green pigs that bellow/sneeze_ ) and a flock of bread and butterflies, “Well Alice…” I smirked,

        “Welcome to Underland”


	5. Chapter 4 - Smoke & Mushrooms

The world beyond the door was more desolate than I could ever imagine…the sky was a pale blue, with charcoal grey clouds that seemed to hover just out of reach, and strange animals watched curiously from the untamed bushes and wild vines that coated fallen buildings and statues. Enormous flowers with human faces at their centers stared off into the distance remorsefully, their skeletal expressions adding to the doom-and-gloom atmosphere. I stood in awe, gaping at the unusual and bedraggled landscape around us, Allyson, however, walked along casually, like she came here all the time, “Curiouser and curiouser…” I mumbled. For some strange reason, this place seemed familiar to me…like I’d been here before, only it had changed somehow, like it was drearier. How odd…

            My new friend huffed, “Oh trust me…you haven’t seen **_anything_** yet! We’ve only just gotten here Alice. Thanks to the Red Queen, this place isn’t _half_ as pretty as it used to be.”

            Whirling around, I tried to take in all the sights and sounds, when suddenly five figures appeared before me; a mouse, a rabbit, a Dodo bird, and two identical twin boys wearing matching overalls and striped shirts, “ ** _See_** Mally?! I **_told_** you she was the right Alice!” one of them, the White Rabbit in a blue waistcoat, scoffed triumphantly at the small Dormouse that was standing beside him.

            She crossed her arms skeptically, “Nope, McTwisp. I’m still **_not_** buyin’ it.”

            McTwisp threw his hands up in defeat and rolled his large, pink eyes, “How is **_that_** for gratitude! I’ve been up in Overland for weeks, trailing one Alice after the next-”

            “And managing to snag an **_Allyson_** while he was at it.” Allyson interjected, hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised, “Now would you be so kind as to tell me whose **_genius idea_** it was to bring me through the **_Rabbit Hole_**?! I mean **HELLO**!? Does no one realize how dangerous that thing is because of all that junk you’ve stashed in there? I mean, **_jeez_** , Nivens, you ever heard of **_Spring Cleaning_**?” she scolded the Rabbit. “It’s not that I don’t want to be here for the Frabjous Day and everything, but **_really_**? Couldn’t we have used the Looking-Glass or something else instead?”

            He turned up his nose indignantly and brushed some “dust” off his shoulder, “Yes I have, as a matter of fact; I just haven’t the time to go through that mess in the Hole. And I tried to talk Absolem into opening the Glass, but he wouldn’t do it. He didn’t think you’d be around a mirror at the right time to come through with Alice.” he shot back.

            “Well I appreciate the “warning”. Ya know you could’ve given me a heads-up before I left the other night.”

            “Where did you think I was going when **_I_** left?”

            “I knew where you were going, I just didn’t think you’d get there on time; you **_are_** famous for being **_late_**.” she winked mischievously.

            He straightened his neckerchief huffily, “I’m fully aware of that.”

            “Well I would certainly hope so, after your little run-in with Iracebeth-”

            “Alright, alright _ladies_ …” the Dodo bird standing near the back of the group interrupted, “that’s quite enough.” he pulled Allyson away from McTwisp. She secretly stuck her tongue out at the Rabbit while he wasn’t paying attention, but none of us bothered to tell him.

            “She doesn’t look anything like herself!” one of the flowers scrutinized my appearance. The others did the same, eyeing me with vague suspicion. Was I the girl they were looking for? Was I someone else?

            Was this a dream…or was it real?

            “That’s because she’s the **_wrong_** Alice!” Mally repeated herself.

            Finally, the two boys put in their two cents, “And if she was, she might be!” the one on the right piped up.

            “But if she isn’t, she ain’t.” said the one on the left.

            “But if she were so, she would be…”

            “But she isn’t no-how!” they both shook their heads, and then glanced solemnly at me, waiting for a response. I quite honestly didn’t know what to say; their bickering had confused me so that I didn’t know whose side I was supposed to be on!

            “Yes she is!” Allyson objected, “Absolem said that the only way I could get down here for the Frabjous Day is if I got here at the same time as the **_real_** Alice. How would you explain **_me_** being here if she **_isn’t_** the right one?” she pointed out.

            Before anyone else could debate who I was, I jumped into the conversation, “How can I be the **_wrong_** Alice if this is **_my_** dream that we’re in?” every one of them, including Allyson, looked at me like I had two heads, “And who are **_you_** if I might ask?”

            “Oh! That’s Tweedledee and Tweedledum.” Allyson pointed to each of the brothers respectively. How she could tell the difference was far beyond me.

            “Contrariwise, I’m Tweedledum and he’s Tweedledee!” Dum and Dee reached out simultaneously to shake my hands, and nearly knocked me over when they did!

            The Dodo cleared his throat, to get everyone’s attention, “We should consult Absolem about this.”

            A tulip nearby agreed, “Exactly! **_He_** ’ll know who she is!”

            I looked to Allyson for guidance, but she was already stomping ahead of us, fists clenched at her side, “Yeah, and he’s got some explainin’ to do anyway! C’mon Alice, let’s go!”

            Tweedledee ( _I suppose_ ) offered his chubby arm to me as I started after her, “I’ll escort you!”

            Just as I moved to take his arm, his brother grabbed me and jerked me away from him, “Hey! It’s not being your turn! So unfair!”

            “Leave off!”

            “Let go!”

            Wriggling free, I leapt behind the White Rabbit, “Are they always like this?”

            “It’s a family trait, I’m afraid…look boys, you can **_both_** escort her.” McTwisp suggested, shuffling me back over to the twins. The each grabbed one of my hands, but they continued to shoot each other venomous glares. The Dormouse and Dodo trudged slowly behind us, like they didn’t want to be seen with me. And the flowers on either side of our path whispered as we trooped by…  
            “It can’t be the same girl as before.” a wilted daisy muttered.

            “She looks nothing like Alice.” a tiger-lily sighed, watching one of her petals drift away on a breeze.

            “She doesn’t even have on the right dress!” a violet sneered.

            All these creatures, the flowers, my current situation…it all felt like a severe case of déjà vu…it felt like I’d been here a long time ago…

            This certainly was a bizarre place…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            Our odd-looking little group traipsed through the remainder of the Garden of Live Flowers in silence, watching as the trees morphed into giant mushrooms and the actual flowers gradually disappeared. A hazy, blue smoke hugged the ground all around us; we were getting close.

            Alice, standing in between the Tweedles, finally broke the quiet, “Who is this Absolem?” she inquired.

            “He’s wise, he’s absolute…” McTwisp replied, like **_that_** was going to help her figure it out.

            “He’s Absolem!” the Twins added in unison.

            I rolled my eyes and called over my shoulder to her, “He’s a giant blue psychic caterpillar that smokes a hookah.”

            “Yes, that‘s **_another_** way to describe Absolem…” McTwisp muttered. He wasn’t normally one to be so blunt, but he knows that **_I_** don’t sugarcoat anything, and totally should’ve seen that coming.

            As the mist got thicker, enveloping us tighter and tighter, the source of the fog became more and more evident. The ground beneath our bare feet became spongy and squishy, like moss after a heavy rainstorm. I felt a puff of air brush by me out of nowhere, and suddenly realized that my dress had changed all by itself! Instead of my red, black and gold undergarment, I now had on the gauzy blue and grey dress I usually wore during my semi-regular visits with Absolem, along with my glistening silver bracelets that allowed me to read the Oraculum without Absolem’s help. Yes, as impossible as this sounds, I **_can’t_** do everything.

            “ **Absolem**! Absolem, I know you hear me! Hey!” I swatted the smoke away, slowly getting nearer and nearer to the mushroom that he was perched atop.

            His round face soon appeared, with the end of the hookah hanging out of his mouth, “Who are…oh, hello Allyson. Glad you could make it.” he chuckled, clearly amused by my frustration.

            Heading behind the huge fungi, I found the hidden stairway that I often used to reach the peak of his mushroom, “Now what’s the big idea?! Why couldn’t we have gone through the Looking-Glass instead of nearly breaking our necks in the Rabbit Hole?” I snapped at the over-sized bug, “And **_what_** have I told you about smoking this thing?! Don’t you know that stuff’s bad for you? Jeez!”

            He calmly took another puff of his hookah, and answered me in a slow, deep voice “You know that the Glass isn’t working at the moment…and you wouldn’t have made it in time if you had…” Absolem blew the smoke in Alice’s direction, “Now…who are _you_?”

            She coughed, unable to breath from the heavy fumes in the air, “Absolem?” she asked.

            The Caterpillar shuddered slightly, a look of disdain was fixed on his face, “You’re not Absolem. I’m Absolem. The question is……who are _you_?”

            “Who does she look like, my cousin Rachel?” I snipped back, “She’s Alice… ** _duh_**.”

            Absolem shot me a glower out the side of his monocle, and then took another blow from the hookah, “We shall see…”

            “What do you mean by that!?” Alice questioned heatedly, “I ought to know who I am!” she was obviously getting tired of all this _she’s the wrong Alice_ business, and so was I. She **_had_** to be the real girl! She just **_had_** to be!

            “Yes you ought…stupid girl. Unroll the Oraculum, Allyson.”

            Jumping down off the towering toadstool, I skipped over to a smaller row of mushrooms where the parchment was laying and unrolled the scroll, “Come over here an’ see it Alice!” I waved her over, and the others followed suit.

            “The Oraculum…a Calendrical Compendium of Underland.” McTwisp held the two ends apart so they could all see the moving illustrations.

            Alice turned her head to the side, starting to comprehend what she was looking at, “It’s a calendar!”

            “Compedium.” Absolem corrected her.

            “Same difference.” I retorted.

            He continued without paying me any mind, “It tells of each and every day since the Beginning…” Which was true; every event that had ever occurred in Underland was drawn somewhere on the Oraculum, but only certain Underlanders could read it, and it had to be heavily guarded by specifically chosen people and/or other assorted creatures. If this thing got into the wrong hands…it could spell disaster for every living thing in Underland, and quite possibly, Overland too.

            “Today’s Griblig Day, right?”

            Everyone, except Alice of course, nodded. She was too stunned by the fact that we were looking at a picture of ourselves looking at the Oraculum!

            Absolem drew in a long breath of smoke, “Show her the Frabjous Day…” he droned, stretching out across the mushroom like a lazy cat.

            Tweedledee nodded excitedly, “Yeah, Frabjous being the day you slay the Jabberwocky!” he informed Alice.

            Her hazel eyes went wide with surprise, “Sorry? Slay a **_what_**?”

            “ ** _That_** thing…” I pointed to the huge, dragonesque creature in the Frabjous Day image. A female knight with curly, light-colored hair was swinging wildly at its neck with a sword; her shield grasped tightly in her other hand.

            Tweedledum hopped up and down, “Yeah! That being you there with the Vorpal Sword!”

            “No other swords can kill the Jabberwocky, no-how!”

            “If it ain’t Vorpal, he ain’t dead!”

            Alice shook her head, staring spellbound at the document of moving pictures. She was in utter disbelief…it couldn’t be her! She’d never killed anything in her life, especially something that deadly and menacing. There was no way that warrior was her…

            But it was…there wasn’t anyone else that it could be.

            And to prove that it was none other than my new buddy, the girl on the Oraculum swung around to face us, and it was unmistakably Alice’s features we saw, with murderous intent glistening in her eyes.


	6. Chapter 5 - Bandersnatched

I edged away from the Oraculum in horror. There was **_no_** possible way that the girl I just saw fighting with the Jabberwocky was me! I’d never held a sword, much less actually used one on anything, and I’d most definitely never worn any kind of armor ( _though some of the corsets my mother tried to make me wear were thick enough to deflect heavy weapons, I’m sure_ ).

            “That’s not me!” I cried.

            “I **_know_**!” the Dormouse began walking away, arms crossed, with a look of haughty disappointment written on her tiny, furry face.

            Allyson shook her head in defiance, “Alice that **_is_** you! No other girl in Underland looks like that!” she objected, “And besides, only **_you_** , the Chosen One, can use the Vorpal Sword! It’s been written in the Oraculum! It **_has_** to be you!”

            McTwisp turned to the Caterpillar, “Resolve all this for us Absolem…is she the **_right_** Alice?” he wrung his paws nervously, awaiting the answer that would hopefully clear all this up.

            Absolem stared at me for a long, apprehensive moment, took a long puff of his hookah ( _irritating Allyson in the process_ ) and replied, “Not… hardly…” blowing smoke everywhere and blocking him from view. Allyson stumbled out of the vapor moments later; her outfit reverted back to the one she’d worn here, and coughing hysterically and gasping for air.

            “The heck was that about?!” she wheezed.

            “Oh dear…” McTwisp fretted. He was extremely dismayed, as was I, because neither of us knew what was going to happen next… What were they going to do to me, since I was the “ _wrong_ ” Alice?

            “I tried to tell you!” the Dormouse cried indignantly.

            “I said so!” Tweedledum said.

            “ ** _I_** said so!” Tweedledee argued with his brother.

            “Contrariwise **_you_** said she might be!”

            “No, **_you_** said she would be if she was!”

            The flowers cast dirty looks in my direction, “Hmph! Little imposter! Pretending to be Alice…she should be ashamed!” one of them chastised me.

            Allyson quickly jumped to my defense, after finally catching her breath, “Hey! You guys don’t know that she is an imposter for certain! What Absolem said could mean anything and everything or nothing at all, y’all know that!” but no one seemed to listen to her.

            This is so unfair! I came down here involuntarily, almost broke my neck on the way, have no clue what’s going on or who any of these people are, and then they turn around and tell me I’m the **_wrong girl_**! They said I wasn’t even supposed to be here! “Wait a minute…” I caught myself, “this is **_my_** dream! I-I’m going to wake up now and you’ll all disappear!” I stammered, “It was nice meeting you, Allyson, but I’m afraid I must be going home.” I nodded goodbye to the one person who’d been at least halfway decent towards me, but she just shook her head and snickered, like I was doing something silly!

            I closed my eyes tightly and pinched myself on the upper arm, like my father had shown me when I was just a little girl, thinking that would awaken me. After a moment or two, I reopened my eyes expecting the Ascot’s lawn and my “engagement” party to reappear, but was greeted by the same scene I was trying to escape instead. I tried again, shutting my eyes tighter and pinching myself harder, but none of them had the courtesy to leave! How rude!

            “That’s odd…pinching usually does the trick…” I muttered.

            The Dormouse offered her assistance; “I could stick you, if that would help!” she whipped out the tiny silver hatpin she used as a sword.

            “It might actually, thank you!”

            “My pleasure…” she replied a little too enthusiastically, stabbing my foot as hard as she could. And although that added onto the pain already coursing through my arm, it still didn’t snap me out of it! Would this dream never end?!

            Suddenly, it got much, much worse…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      I was just about to reprimand Mally for staking Alice’s foot with her hatpin for no reason _when_ an enormous crash echoed through the Mushroom Forest, followed by a booming growl. A huge, furry, bulldog-like creature stood only yards away, blood and drool flowing from his mouth.

            The Bandersnatch.

            The Tweedles were the next to spot the Red Queen’s rabid guard dog, and squealing like a couple of schoolgirls, ran for the hills. McTwisp was soon to follow, with Mally and Alice hot on his heels…and, needless to say, I was about a country mile ahead of every one of them. I don’t know about the rest of the group, but I had no intention to become his midmorning snack!

            Every living creature in its right mind - _and some that weren’t so much_ \- ran for their lives from the Bandersnatch…and right into the arms of the Red Knights on Critter-Catching duty. The over-sized playing cards swung nets in every direction, trapping any animal unfortunate enough to run underneath them at the wrong time, including the White Rabbit and Dodo Bird. “Unhand me you fiends! I don’t like to be-” the rest of McTwisp’s rant was muffled by the burlap bag he was thrown in. The Dodo was shackled on his ankle and thrown into the back of a cart hauling several flamingos and hedgehogs.

            Meanwhile, the remaining five of us raced ahead, not daring to look back for our comrades or enemies. I’d finally caught up to Alice, and was urging her along a winding path among the ‘shrooms, “C’mon Alice! _Go_! **_Run_**!” I wrapped my fingers around her tiny wrist and pulled her behind me, my height causing her to come nearly completely off the ground.

            She abruptly stopped in her tracks and turned to face our pursuer, who’d tripped over a stone wall in the Garden, “Wait…” she said, barely above a whisper, “It’s only a dream… nothing can hurt me here…”

            Rolling my eyes, I tugged on her arm, trying to make her move, “Alice hurry up, that thing’ll swallow you and me both whole! Let’s go!”

            She only shook her head, “Can’t hurt me…can’t hurt me…can’t hurt me…” she repeated, her voice wavering more every time she said it.

            Now it was too late, the Bandersnatch was looming over us, his saliva dripping to the ground before our feet. He let out an ear-shattering roar no more than five feet from where we were standing, nearly blowing the two of us off our feet. I was too paralyzed by fear to run, as was Alice.

            Mally came sprinting to our rescue, “Run you great lugs!” she cried, leaping onto the Bandersnatch’s head, her hatpin drawn like a dagger. The Dormouse jabbed the pin into his eye, sending the massive beast reeling in pain. She tried to jerk it out, but ended up ripping the entire eyeball out!

            “ ** _RRRRRAAAAAWWWWWRRRRR_**!!!!!!!!!!” the Bandersnatch bellowed in pain. He lashed out with his powerful paws, grazing his claws across Alice’s arm and the bottom of my leg. We both screamed out in agony, and turned to flee the caterwauling monster, not very sure of where we were running to.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      “ _Hmm…I wonder what all that ruckus is with the Bandersnatch; why’s he carrying on like that?_ ” I pondered as I pushed through the thick undergrowth of the Mushroom Forest. I knew this is where the oracle, Absolem, keeps the Oraculum, but neither he nor the fabled scroll were anywhere to be seen. All six of my escorts searched the forest floor for a sign of one or both of our targets with no luck…

      Until…

      My roaming eye fell on the parchment we’d been hunting for the Red Queen, lying unattended on the ground, its guardian having disappeared completely. Calling attention to the men, I gathered up the scroll in my hands, inadvertently unrolling it to reveal one of the many moving pictures inscribed on the paper. Two girls were trying to escape the wrath of the Bandersnatch, which would mean they were only yards away from me. My eye nearly popped out of my head when the girl on the right caught my eye; it couldn’t be her! The rumors couldn’t be true!

      Was Alice **_really_** back?!

Had she returned to smite the Jabberwocky and free us all from the Red Queen? Still unable to believe what I was seeing, I failed to notice that the revisiting heroine wasn’t alone…she had a dark-haired little friend with her. Paying no mind to her mysterious partner, I cast a stealthy glance at the soldiers surrounding me; to be sure none of them had seen the figures on the paper, before slipping it underneath my cape and sliding back into my saddle. The Red Knights got the signal to fall back into ranks and follow me back to Crims, where we would soon find out what exactly the cryptic image depicted on the scroll entailed about our long-lost savior…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Gasping and out of breath, Alice and I stumbled onto a forked path three miles out of the forest. Tweedledee and Tweedledum reappeared, one on either side of the trail, shaking from the fear of our previous debacle.

            There was a sign with two arrows, one pointing south to SNUD and one pointing east to QUEAST, which wasn’t really helping us. I’d never been to either of those places, so we would basically be lost no matter which way we walked. But, of course we had the Tweedles with us, so it wasn’t up to me or Alice.

            “This way! East to Queast!” Tweedledum shouted, grabbing Alice’s arm and tugging her to the left. She reached out and latched onto my wrist, not wanting to be pulled away against her will… ** _again_**.

            Tweedledee snatched my other arm and started to drag us the opposite direction, “No! South to Snud!” he cried fervently.

            Quite honestly, neither of us girls actually cared which way we were running, so long as we were running away from here!

            A sharp, piercing squawk rang out in the tense air, silencing their backbiting and replacing it with sheer terror. We all whirled around to see an enormous bird with black, white and red feathers swooping down from the sky above,

            “Duck!” Alice screamed at the top of her lungs, just as the ostrich-sized, eagle-like bird clasped the Tweedles in its talons and soared away.

After spitting the dirt out that I had inhaled on the way down, I brushed myself off and helped her back up, “That’s no duck, that was a Jubjub Bird. That thing belongs to the Red Queen, just like the Bandersnatch and those soldiers…” I finally comprehended the gist of our current situation, “I think she knows you’re here…that’s why she sent everybody out looking for you…” If that was true, that meant that almost nowhere was safe, and we’d have to be extremely careful in order to make it to Marmoreal, the only refuge where Iracebeth couldn’t touch us.

Hopefully, for Alice’s sake, Mirana, the White Queen, has the Vorpal Sword with her so we won’t have to tromp all over Underland to find it…but knowing my luck, things won’t be nearly that simple.

            Now that we were all alone, the journey ahead may be even more difficult and dangerous than either of us could imagine…we’re on our own, with no one here to turn to for help but each other…

            Man, it **_sucks_** to be us!   


	7. Chapter 6 - The Red Queen

In the center of the barren desert of Crims, on the shore of the stormy Crimson Sea sits the castle of the evil Red Queen; Iracebeth. Her flag, the Flaming Heart, sways in the winds, appearing as though it really is on fire. The weather-beaten walls are too steep to climb, and vultures circle the moat’s edge searching for a chance to swoop down on the remains of her victims. This place was impenetrable, and its dark atmosphere went hand in hand with the pure wickedness at the heart of its ruler…if she even **_has_** a heart to have wickedness in…which she did, many years ago. But…things are different now.                

            The Jubjub bird carrying Tweedledee and Tweedledum squawked and gave out shrill cries as it glided into the dungeon’s entrance and dropped the two brothers inside. They were seized by several guards waiting in the chambers for new slaves to do her “majesty’s” biding. As they were carted off, the giant bird wheeled back toward the sky and into its aviary.

            Inside, the Red Queen herself was shrieking angrily; nothing out of the ordinary there.

            The pounding racket of her footsteps made her frog footmen tremble and shudder as she stomped closer and closer. The enormous doors at the end of the Grand Hall swung open violently and revealed Iracebeth herself.

            The most noticeable thing about the Queen was her abnormally large head; as that was usually all that one could notice about her. It overruled everything else, save for her brilliant red hair and unusual makeup job. Many people in Underland speculated how she never fell over headfirst, given that her cranium was so out of proportion to the rest of her body. ( _I myself wonder how in the world she keeps all that hair on top of it…and if that’s her natural color_ ).

            Characteristically, she was roaring, ranting and raving over something completely ridiculous, as she was famously infamous for doing so.

            “ ** _SOMEONE HAS STOLEN THREE OF MY TARTS!!!!_** ”

            She stormed down the carpeted hallway, pointing her scepter at every frog standing at attention, “Did **_you_** steal them?!” she barked at one frog.

            “No your majesty.”

            “Did **_you_**?!” she jabbed a finger at the next one.

            “No your majesty.” he replied.

            “Did ** _you_** steal them?!” the third frog leaned out of her reach timidly.

            “ _No your majesty…_ ” he whimpered.

            Still not satisfied, she scanned the row of amphibian servants until one caught her beady black eye. Wheeling back toward the door she came in, she bent down to look him straight in the face, “ _Did you steal my tarts?_ ” she whispered maliciously.

            He shook his head, “No your majesty.” then gulped so loud, the courtiers on the other side of the room could hear him plainly ( _then again, the room **did** have a bit of an echo_).

            Knowing that he was lying, she reached over and wiped a drop of jam off his mouth and stuck it into her own. Grinning triumphantly, she glowered down at him, “Sqimberry juice…” she hissed.

            The poor frog nearly fell off his feet, “I was so hungry! I didn’t mean to-”

            “ ** _OFF WITH HIS HEAD_**!” Iracebeth let her trademark line fly. It was so commonplace nowadays that no one gasped in shock when she screamed it to the heavens; they all just watched in silent horror and resentment as two Cards dragged him to the dungeon in the eastern tower of the castle.

            “No, no please! My family! Oh please don’t! I have little ones to look after!” he pleaded to no avail as they closed the door behind them.

            The Red Queen licked her lips hungrily, turning to her Fish Butler, “Go to his house and collect the little ones…I love tadpoles on toast almost as much as caviar!”

            “Yes your majesty.” he struggled to hide his hatred for the wicked woman as he wriggled out of the room.

            She then proceeded to plop her rump in her beautiful golden throne, held up by four little monkeys, “ ** _Dwink!_** ” she called to a second fish. He meandered over with a platter holding a pink glass filled with a sweet-smelling liquid inside. How he longed to have a cool drink of anything! But alas, no such thing was allowed unless the Queen permitted it, which she was not apt to do so very often.

            “Majesty?” asked a dark, smooth voice from behind a curtain.

            Iracebeth turned to her right, her eyes falling upon the one thing she desired more than anything in Underland. She batted her eyelashes and butterflies flew around frantically in her stomach, his gaze melting her stone cold heart, “ ** _Ilosovic Stayne_** …you _knave_ …” she purred, holding her hand out for the Knave of Hearts to kiss it. He did so, but only barely scraping it with his lips, as the thought of physical contact with the maniacal ruler made his head swim with nausea, “Where have you been lurking?” she cooed.

            “ _Far from here…_ ” he though to himself heatedly. **_Bah_**! The sole reason he’d even returned to this wretched place is because there were Cards following his every move; there was no chance of escape. Not only were the guards trained to lay their very lives down for him and to obey his every command, they were also taught to kill him on the spot if he tried to run off again. Stayne had learned his lesson; he wasn’t going to press his luck like that anymore.

            Unless the prophecy was true, and Alice was actually coming back. She could help him… she might not even remember him from all that time ago, but there was still a sliver of hope for him.

            “I have found the Oraculum…” he replied, like it wasn’t the big deal that it truly was. Ilosovic unraveled the scroll across the throne, sending most of it rolling down the steps in front of it.

            “That?!” the Red Queen exclaimed skeptically, “It looks so…so… ** _ordinary_**.” she underestimated the power of the parchment that she held in her pale hands.

            A sudden movement in one of the pictures caught the Knave’s eye; the same one that had startled Alice earlier; the female knight fighting the Jabberwocky, “ _It can’t be…Alice?!_ ” he stopped himself before a smile could spread over his scarred face. He had immediately recognized the girl’s curly blond hair, although she was quite a bit taller and older than she had been ten years ago; the last time he’d seen her here, “Look here, on the Frabjous Day.” he pointed out the illustration to the Queen, scarcely able to hide his excitement.

            Iracebeth’s face became red with anger once more, “I’d know that tangled mop of hair anywhere…is that _Alice_?” she growled.

            “I believe it **_is_**.”

            She squinted at the picture again, “Who’s **_she_**?”

            “Who are you talking about?”

            “ **Her**! The other girl.”

            Stayne glanced down again, and sure enough, there was now a second girl battling the dragon creature. She had dark, straight hair wound into a tight ponytail, she was slightly shorter than Alice, and looked a little younger than her, as her cheeks still had a childish roundness to them **;** neither of them had ever seen her before, “Well, I don’t rightly know majesty…I’ve never seen her until now.” he was captivated by the mysterious little warrior girl; he wanted to know more about her.

            “What are they doing with my precious Jabberwocky?”

            He had to hide the victorious, mocking tone in his voice to reply, “They **_appear_** to be **_slaying_** it.” he almost grinned again.

            “ ** _THEY KILLED MY JABBERBABYWOCKY_**?!” she roared furiously. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her oversized head, and her face was nearly as scarlet as her hair.

            “No, no, no! Not yet!” Stayne responded quickly, sidestepping just out of her reach in case she flew off the handle…again, “But it **will** happen if we don’t stop them.” he warned her. The Knave could only hope that she would send him out once more to seek information on the returning heroine and her enigmatic accomplice, so that he could find out more about the pair.

            “Find those girls Stayne!” she ordered, “ ** _FIND THEM_**!” she growled menacingly.

            “Yes, your majesty.” he obeyed eagerly, racing out to the stables to begin his search.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

             I pulled my hulking stallion from his stall for the second time this morning and lead him into the cobblestone courtyard. Hoisting myself into the saddle, I waved three of the Cards off to fetch Bayard Youngblood, the bloodhound.

            Iracebeth had kidnapped him and his family, forcing him to work for her in the hunt for Alice. He was rumored to have the sharpest nose in Witzend; that’s what made him such a major target for the Queen. He also happened to be a member of the Underland Underground Resistance, making him all the harder to work with…on her part, at least…

            I watched painfully as he winced and tugged at the spiky chain and collar around his scrawny neck. I wished there was something that I could do to help him without putting both of our lives in jeopardy…but there’s not.

            “Find the scent of two human girls and receive your freedom…”I struggled to hide any sympathy I had for the poor dog, not wanting the Guards to catch on that I wasn’t entirely loyal to “her **_majesty_** ”. Half of them probably weren’t either, but there’s no use risking it.

            “F-for my wife and children as well?” he pleaded piteously. His large liquid brown eyes boring into mine, forcing me to think of his wife Bielle and their four puppies; Clifford, Tahlia, Dobe and Anya, locked in the dungeons below the castle.

            I nodded, “Everyone will go home.” I agreed sincerely. All five of them would be released before the Frabjous Day, one way or the other if I had anything to do with it. Even if I had to go down amongst the cells and let them out myself!

            A spark of hope dancing through his eyes, he stuck his nose to the ground and almost immediately caught their smell. Bayard growled as the Cards released him from the leash and he bounded out across the desert. All six of them followed suit, leaving only me and the horse on the drawbridge; I reached down to stroke his neck and adjust his armor before going after them.

            “Pffffft…” he neighed, “dogs will believe **_anything_**!” he snorted maliciously.

            “ _Especially the **truth** …_” I snapped under my breath.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Alice and I finally came to a halt, panting and gasping for air. Her poor little legs had a hard time keeping up with me, even though I was only half my normal size; had I been all of my 5’ 4” self, I would’ve had to carry her so I wouldn’t lose her!

            I was too dizzy to know where we were, but I could tell it was some kind of wood or forest that had semi-normal looking trees. The branches and trunks were gnarled and twisted, and leaves were few and far between, but the falling evening made it seem like we were under a thick, impenetrable canopy because of how dark it was.

            Just as we stepped underneath the shade of the foliage, I stubbed my toe on something heavy that was made of cloth, “Huh? Hey! What’s my bag doing here?!” I exclaim, hoisting up the strap of my black backpack. I hadn’t brought this down here…but who had?

            Alice turned, “What’s in it?” she tried to peek inside, but the dim light prevented her from seeing anything.

            “It’s the bag I use for school…and occasionally overseas trips, but why in the world is it down here? I didn’t have it with me when I fell down the Rabbit Hole…”

            “Maybe Absolem or McTwisp brought it…”

            “Could be…anyway, let’s get outta here. This place is givin’ me the creeps.”

            Strange plants and flowers brushed against our legs as we walked, feeling like a big furry cat was rubbing on them.

            **_Big furry cat…why did that ring a bell_**?

            Alice wiped some of the blood off her wounded arm, flinching when she touched the tender gash, “Ow! How could something in a _dream_ hurt so much?!” she whimpered. She **_obviously_** hasn’t gotten it through her head that this isn’t a dream at all; far from it really.

            A whooshing sound behind us caught my ear, along with the creaking of a limb and a suave intonation from above, “It looks like you ran afoul of something with **_wicked claws_** …” we both whirled around and came face to face with none other than-

            “Chessur?” I exclaimed; finally a familiar face after the Tweedles and McTwisp got snatched! I never thought I’d be so happy to see a cat…I was really more of a dog person.

            The enormous Cheshire Cat floated down from his perch in a tree and strode over to me, “Hello there, you must be Matt’s friend. Allyson, if I’m not mistaken?” he quite literally purred. Gosh, Matt must get into detail when he tells people about his friends; Chess knew me right of the bat without even having met me! I guess I have an easily recognizable face.

            “That’s me.”

            He grinned his world-renowned smile, all of his teeth gleaming in the twilight, “What got hold of your friend there?” he nodded towards Alice’s scratches.

            “Banner or bander…” she tried to remember the name of the bulldog/bear thing that attacked her only moments ago.

            “Ooh! The **_Bandersnatch_** …well then,” he suddenly disappeared, then rematerialized closer to her, “I’d better have a look-see.” His huge turquoise irises stared raptly at her oozy cut.

            She leaned away from the large tabby cat anxiously, “What are you doing?”

            “It **_needs_** to be purified by someone with vanishing skills or it will **_fester_** and **_putrefy_** …” he warned her. That did sound awful, but Alice was rather wary of being licked by a cat the size of a large dog that kept _poofing_ all over the place.

“No thanks I…I’ll be fine as soon as I wake up…” she insisted that she would be ok when this “dream” was over. Keep telling yourself that Alice…

            “At **_least_** let me stitch it up for you dear…” Chessur offered, pulling out a silk handkerchief and wrapping it around her tiny arm. He shot me a questioning look, but all I could give as a reply was a shrug, “What do you call yourself?”

            “Alice.”

            “ ** _The_** Alice!?”

            She shook her head, “There’s been some debate on that…” Technically, the only argument about who she was is between her and the Dormouse. I knew that everyone else half-way believed that she was the real Alice that had been there before; Mally was the only true skeptic. And it may not be that she’s a doubter, maybe she doesn’t **_want_** this to be the real Alice for whatever reason.

            “I never get involved in politics.” the Cheshire Cat smirked again. I knew that much was true from what Matt told me, “You two had best be on your way…”

            Alice inched closer to me; her pale face was wrinkled with fright and worry, “What way? All I want to do is wake up from this dream!” she cried.

            I sighed, running my fingers through my bangs, “Alice, I’ve tried to tell you…this isn’t a dream at all. There’s no waking up from this. All this is **_real_**.” explaining the situation to her was like trying to explain how water tastes, but I had to get it through her head that she wasn’t in London anymore.

            Chess interrupted Alice before she could object, “Fine, I’ll take you to the Hare and the Hatter…but that’s the end of it!” then _poof_! He was gone.

            “Alright, come on. We can’t stick around here all night.” I lifted my backpack to my shoulder and started toward the light in the clearing ahead. She hesitantly followed, not sure if she should go with the two of us.

            “Coming ladies?” the Cat called from on down the path.

            “Yeah, we’re coming.” I shouted back. A glint from my clothes caught my attention, and as I glanced down, I realized my entire outfit had transformed once more and I‘d grown back to normal size. Now, instead of a thin under-dress and black lacy socks, I had on a thick black and red straightjacket with gold buckles, a crinoline tutu, striped leggings, and knee-high boots. My hand reached up to see what had been done to my hair, and that’s when I felt the tiny hat with feathers pinned into the curls.

            Things just keep getting crazier and crazier down here!


	8. Chapter 7 - Mad Tea Party Crashers

Even if I hadn’t known that we were going to visit the March Hare, I probably could’ve guessed who lived in the funny looking house that we were approaching, as it was shaped like the Hare himself. The windows glowed bright yellow like strange golden eyes, and the remnants of the windmill atop the tower looked like drooping rabbit ears.

            There was a rather dull tea party going on not too far away, only three guests were there and every one of them was asleep. Mallymkun, the Dormouse, popped out of one of the many teapots strewn about, yawning all the while. The March Hare suddenly leapt up, scaring us half to death, stammering and pointing at the tiny blond girl now perched on my shoulder. The man at the end of the table, who I assumed was the Mad Hatter, perked up as well at the sight of me and Alice coming down the dirt path. As a matter of fact, he jumped up out of his seat and directly proceeded to run across the table to greet us to show his excitement, “It’s you!” he reached out to stroke her golden curls, but retreated before touching her.

            “No it’s _not_! McTwisp brought the **_wrong_** Alice!” Mally objected.

            “It’s the **_wrong_** Alice?!” the Hare yowled.

            “No, this is the **_right_** Alice, contrary to popular belief. I saw the Oraculum as plain as you did. The one slaying the Jabberwocky is **_her_**.” I shot back at the mouse. She huffed indignantly and didn’t say anything else.

            Hatter shook his head; agreeing with me, “It’s absolutely Alice. You’re **_absolutely_** Alice; I‘d know you anywhere! I’d know him anywhere!” he cried out. The rest of us giggled at his gender-bender. Tarrant turned to me, “But I **_wouldn’t_** know you anywhere… who might you be?”

            “Allyson…I’m a friend of Alice’s… **_and_** Mayo‘s.” I extended my hand and smiled, he took it, and he dragged us across the top of the tablecloth the way he’d come. I tried, to no avail, avoiding stepping on the silverware and the dishes on the trip, but it was nearly impossible. When we arrived at the other end of the table, he plucked Alice off my shoulder and plopped her in the chair to his left, directing me to his right.

            “Well, as you can see my dear, we’re still having tea… and it’s all because I was obliged to kill Time awaiting your return!” he explained, “You’re terribly late you know; **_naughty_**! Well anyway, Time became rather offended by the gesture and stopped altogether! Not a tick ever since…” he continued.

            The March Hare cackled randomly and held his shattered teacup closer to his face, “ ** _Cup_** ……”

            “Time can be funny in dreams.” Alice pointed out. What that had to do with this conversation, I had no clue, and neither did Hatter. I still couldn’t believe that she thought this was all just a dream, especially after the Bandersnatch snagged her arm like that! A scratch like that should’ve been a wake up call for her, but I guess not.

            He gave her a confused glance, “Yes, yes… but now that you’re back, we need to get on to the Frabjous Day!”

            “ ** _FRABJOUS_** **_DAY_**!” the three of them cheered.

            “I’ve been considering things that begin with the letter M… _Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?_ ”

            Chessur rolled his giant turquoise eyes as they chanted some thing in Outlandish, “ ** _Downal wyth Bluddy Behg Hid!_** ”

            It was Alice’s turn to be befuddled, “Pardon?”

            “Down with Bloody Big Head…” Chessur translated, searching the forest behind us warily for any eavesdroppers.

            “Bloody Big Head being the Red Queen.” I finished for him, taking a sip of my tea. It wasn’t as bad as Mayo had claimed it to be, but it surely wasn’t the best cup of tea I’d ever had. Having been a Southerner all my life, I was used to my tea being ice cold……not hot enough to burn my tongue. Ah well…it wasn’t all **_that_** bad.

            “Come, come now! We must commence with the slaying and such!” Hatter said enthusiastically. “Therefore, it is high time for Time to forgive and forget…or forget and forgive…whichever comes first or is in any case most convenient. I’m waiting…” he stared his watch down, as did the March Hare. I checked the clock on my phone to see if it was still working; nope. It was now stuck at 6o’clock PM, even though I’d arrived down here at about noon. I wonder if this is the only place in Underland where time has come to a standstill…      Thackery tapped the face of his pocket watch impatiently, then, not much to my surprise dunked it in his tea. A faint ticking sound emanated from the timepiece, “It’s tick- it’s ticking again!” he gasped.

            “Ooh!” the Hatter squealed happily.

            I looked down once again to my Samsung to check the time; 6:01! It had changed too! The Cheshire Cat shrugged with disdain and set down his drink, “All this talk of blood and slaying has put me off my tea.” he groaned.

            I could almost feel the tension rolling off the Hatter’s piercing green eyes as he glared at the rotund feline, “Hmph, the whole world is falling to ruin, and **_poor_** Chessur’s off his… **_tea_** …” he growled with sparsely obscured resentment.

            The cat whipped his tail angrily, but kept his face and voice cool and collected, “What happened that day was **not** …my…fault.”

            Tarrant’s eyes went from lime green to blood red in about ten seconds as he stalked around the table towards Chess. When he rose from his seat, I had to pull back my skirt to keep it from being covered in hot tea. There was heat radiating from his body from the unleashed fury he set loose on the poor cat, “You ran out on them to save your own skin! You **_guddler’s scuttish pilgar lickering-_** ” and THAT’S where he absolutely lost it, “ ** _Shukem juggling slunking ur-pals! Bar lom muck egg brimni!_** ” I didn’t understand a word he said, but I got the gist of the point he was trying to get across. I looked over to my teeny-tiny companion, and her eyes were about as big as a half dollar; apparently I wasn’t the only one in shock here!

            “ ** _HATTER_**!” the Dormouse yelled.

            He managed to recompose himself and take his seat once again, “Thank you. I’m fine” he coughed.

            “Meow…” the March Hare giggled.

            “What’s _wrong_ with you Tarrant? What happened to the _life_ in this party? You used to do the best Futterwacken in all of Witzend!” the Cat inquired.

            “Futter-what?”

            “ **FUTTERWACKEN**!”

            “It’s a dance.”

            “A very **_unusual_** dance, believe me… I’ve seen it.” I added. The end of Tim Burton’s “ _Alice in Wonderland_ ” flashed through my mind at its mention; Johnny Depp as the Hatter bending in unnatural and crazy ways after the Jabberwocky was decapitated and the Knave and Red Queen had been banished to the Outlands. Speak of the devil, shouldn’t Ilosovic be riding up any minute now? If he’s even here at all?

            “On the Frabjous Day, when the White Queen once again wears the crown atop her head… on **_that_** day, I shall Futterwacken………… ** _vigorously_**!” said the Hatter, lifting his chin with pride. “And where, may I ask, have you seen someone Futterwacken?”

            “A... uh… _friend_ of mine can do it pretty well.”

            “What’s this friend’s name?”

            “Johnny.” I stated matter-of-factly. I’d never met the man in my life, but that’s the best I could do spur of the moment ( _plus, he was the only one I’d ever seen Futterwacken_ ).

            Just then, I heard a faint horse whinny and the deep bay of a bloodhound. “ _Well, well, well…right on time…_ ” I muttered to myself gleefully. “ _The Knave has arrived…_ ” The other tea party occupants weren’t as joy-filled as me, on the other hand.

            “Oh **no**!” the March Hare yelped.

            Chessur wheeled around toward the woods behind us, “Uh-oh…”

            The Hatter pulled out a vial of the vile shrinking potion, pishsavler, and shoved it into Alice’s mouth, forcing her to drink it, “Here, take this quickly!” She reluctantly chugged it until she was only about three inches high and her dress was in a puddle around her again. And the mortification wasn’t over yet; he then proceeded to stuff her into an empty teapot! It was ridiculous…… ** _ridiculously hilarious_**! I had to restrain myself from laughing hysterically. Poor Alice!

            Ilosovic’s horse reared up and neighed in a silly, overly dramatic entrance… ugh, Knaves! I rolled my eyes and sipped some more of my tea as he leapt off his ride and strode over to the table. “Well, if it’s not my favorite trio……” he was about to finish his sentence with ’ _of lunatics_ ’ until his eyes fell on me. “Oh! Who is your **_friend here_** , Hatter?” he cast a dark gaze at me, which was met with a 'who, me?' look.

            Before either of us could answer, the March Hare snatched up a teacup and chucked it at his head screaming, “ ** _YOU’RE ALL LATE FOR TEA_**!!!!!!” Lucky for the Knave, he saw it coming and ducked before it could get him between his eyes ( _well, his eye and his eye patch, technically_ ).

            “Oh! This is… _what is your name again?_ ”

            “ _Allyson…_ ”

            “ ** _ALLYSON!_** ” he exclaimed, nearly making me jump out of my seat and the Knave out of his boots, “Yes, yes! This is Allyson! Allyson this is-”

            “Ilosovic Stayne, the Knave of Hearts. Yeah, I know who he is.” I sipped my tea again, snickering inwardly at his startled expression. “Nice to meet ya.” I smiled politely; he didn’t return the gesture, he was still in shock from the greeting. I was none too surprised that Mr. Burton had nailed this character on the head too; he looked and sounded exactly like I thought he would…just like in the movie.

            “ ** _Indeed_** …” he gave me a strange look before going on about his business, “We’re looking for the girl named Alice.” His tall figure leaned on the back of Tarrant’s extremely large armchair.

            “Speaking of the Queen,” the Hatter replied, like the Knave had said something TOTALLY different, “here’s a song we like to sing in her honor…” I knew this was coming so I decided to join in!

_Twinkle, twinkle little bat!_

_How I wonder whar you’re at!_

Ilosovic got fed up with our antics and so **_rudely_** interrupted our nice little jingle by grabbing the Hatter around the neck. I instinctively grabbed the sharpest object within reach, which just so happened to be the Samurai sword that I was unaware that I was carrying at my waist. Stayne didn’t let go, but he kept a distrustful eye on me, “I _f you’re hiding her, you’ll **lose your heads**_!” he threatened. If he didn’t back up, **_he_** would lose his hand.

            The Hatter grinned, “Already lost them!” he croaked.

            We all burst into laughter again, as the Knave released our cohort, “All together now!” Tarrant directed us. I put my sword away and sat back down, still keeping a watchful eye on the towering party crasher.

_Up above the world you fly,_

_Like a tea tray in the sky!_

_Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle…_

 

            We continued to sing “ _twinkle_ ” until each of us felt the bump of the bloodhound under the table, sniffing furiously for Alice’s scent. The Knave endlessly stalked around the caterwauling bunch of us, and failed to notice when Bayard gave the signal for finding the girl. I could see the Hatter lean down and whisper “ _Downal wyth Bluddy Behg Hid_ …”then the dog backed away and shot off into the forest. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

            “Follow the bloodhound!” Stayne commanded the Cards that had come along with him. He turned back to us, with a suspicious look, like he knew something was up. As soon as the guards left, he sneered “Alright Hightopp, I **_know_** you know where Alice is. Why don’t you just tell me and save us both the trouble.” his face looked desperate; he would do anything to get his hands on her… ** _anything_**.

            I gritted my teeth and crossed my arms, “What makes you think any of **_us_** know where she is?”

            “All four of you look like you’ve got something or some ** _one_** to hide. And little Miss Kingsleigh has been known to hang around you nutcases in the past. ”

            Time for a snarky comeback, “Looks can be deceiving Stayne. Judging a book by its cover doesn‘t usually do you any good ya know.” I snapped, “There’s more to us than meets the eye. No offense, by the way.” I added, though I had totally meant it to come out that way.

            “ ** _You_** especially. I’ve never seen **you** before; you seem a bit shifty to me.”

            “ ** _Devious_** suits my fancy much better, thank you very much!”

            “Hmph.” he grumbled. I could tell I was grating on his nerves; mission accomplished! Now I just need to shoo him off so we can get Alice out of here and to the White Queen, pronto. “You sure are getting defensive for someone who doesn’t **_know_** anything about her…”

            “I never said I **_didn’t_** know anything about her. Don’t put words in my mouth; you may have to eat them later.” I retorted.

            “So you **_do_** know Alice!”

            “I didn’t say **_that_** either. I know plenty of things **_about_** her, but that doesn’t mean that I know **_her_**.”

            “Do you know where she is?” he tried changing his tone from intolerant to the kind of tone you use on your three year old when they’ve done something bad but you don’t want to scream like a lunatic in front of them. Chiding but calm at the same time.

            I soooo wasn’t buying it, “I know where she’s **_isn‘t_**.”

            Stayne must’ve thought that would help him narrow down the search for her in some way, so he asked, “Where is she **_not_**?”

            I had to bite my tongue so I wouldn’t chuckle when I answered, “Here.”

            “ _Oh……why do I even bother_?!” he rubbed his forehead in exasperation. In order to settle his nerves, he grabbed a cup of tea and took a long sip of it, “You’re **_all_** mad.”

            “Thanks very much!” said the March Hare.

            The Knave gave up on interrogating us and, slamming the cup down, he stormed off and rode away on his black charger, “See you around!” I called as he disappeared into the fog.

            Needless to say, he didn’t reply.

            We waited until he was out of earshot to giggle and guffaw about the whole scene. “My goodness! You were absolutely brilliant!” the Hatter could barely speak for the hysteria he was in.

            “Ha-ha! Thank you, thank you…I‘ll be here all week.”

            He suddenly remembered our itty bitty buddy in the empty teapot, but when he reached in to pick her up, he drew back quickly, “Oh! Pardon me!” he apologized. Tarrant reached in again, this time pulling out a long string of lacy blue fabric from her dress. A quick succession of _snips_ from his milliner’s scissors produced a tiny dress that probably wouldn’t have even fit my pinky finger. The Hatter took the lid off the pot and dropped it in, “Try this on for size!”

            I knew that the dress she had on now would be too much for her little arms to tote around all day; the one he just made would undoubtedly be much more comfortable. Three knocks on the lid indicated that Alice wanted out, so Hatter scooped her up and plunked her on the table between us, “Ooh! I like it!” he nodded with satisfaction.

            “The little bow’s a nice touch.” I agreed.

            “Good thing the bloodhound’s one of us or you’d be…” the Dormouse had to ruin the moment by reminding us of our scrape with the Red Queen’s minions. She drew her finger across her throat to emphasize her point; the Hatter gave her a sharp glare.

            “Best take her to the White Queen! She’ll be safe there…” the March Hare suggested, “ ** _Spoon_** ….”

            The Hatter swept his hat off his head and set it on the table next to Alice, “Your carriage m’lady.”

            She looked at him; looked at me, looked at the hat, then back at him, “The hat?” she raised her eyebrows doubtfully.

            “Of course! Anyone can go by horse or rail, but the absolute **_best_** way to travel is by hat!” he said blithely, “Have I made a rhyme?”

            She climbed onto the hat, tightly gripping the pink ribbon tied around it, “Allyson, are you riding with me?” she asked. I could tell how scared she was, and I knew I wouldn’t be any help if I **_did_** get on the hat.

            “Nah, I think I’ll walk. I don’t do so well with moving at great heights.” I declined. Roller coasters were bad enough, I don’t think I could handle riding on somebody’s head with nothing to hold onto but silk. Nu-uh. NO WAY.

             The Dormouse rose from her seat and began to trot towards the hat, “Ooh, I love traveling by hat!” she cooed. Tarrant shook his head.

            “Mally, just Alice please. Fairfarren all!” Mallymkun glowered at Alice jealously as he swung his top hat back into place. As we were walking away, side by side, I saw the Hatter duck as a tea pot went flying over his head, narrowly missing Alice. The two critters behind us laughed crazily while we ambled into Tulgey Woods.

            I couldn’t help but agree with the Knave on these people; they **_were_** all quite mad. But, mad or not, the two of us were stuck with them…we had no one else to turn to down here.


	9. Chapter 8 - Fugitives

I walked briskly beside the Mad Hatter, stopping every once in awhile to take a mental picture and soak up the scenery. It was surprisingly peaceful out here, considering our previous mishaps in the Mushroom Forest and back at the Hare’s house. There was a mysterious fog hugging the ground all around us, making it seem a little spookier than I cared for it to be.

            I could hear the Hatter saying something under his breath, and I thought I recognized some of the words,

           

            “ _T’was brillig, and the slithy toves_

_Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;_

_All mimsy were the borogroves_

_And the mome raths outgrabe…_ ”

 

            Alice climbed onto his shoulder and held onto his jacket, “Sorry, what was that?”

            “What was what?” he replied, with a crazed look in those strange green eyes of his. I decided to join in, given that I knew most of the verses to the _Jabberwocky_ poem,

           

            “ _Beware the Jabberwock, my son!_

_The jaws that bite, the claws that catch._

_Beware the Jubjub bird and shun_

_The frumious Bandersnatch._

The Hatter continued where I left off,

           

            “ _He took his Vorpal Sword in hand,_

_The Vorpal blade went snicker-snack,_

_He left it dead and with its head…_

We said the last line together,

           

“ _He went galumphing back._ ”

 

            Tarrant glanced at Alice again, “It’s all about you, you know?” he told her.

            She became very irritated and huffy, “I’m not slaying **_anything_**!” she snapped, “I ** _don’t_** slay, so put it out of your mind!” she added.

            He stopped dead in his tracks; right next to an old tree stump, “Mmm…mind…” he suddenly picked her off his shoulder and put her on the log, then kept walking. I dashed over and picked her up, scared to leave poor Alice alone for too long. Who knows what kind of animals and monsters were lurking around out here!?

            “Wait!” she cried out, “You can’t leave us here! We don’t know where to go!” she whimpered. That wasn’t **_entirely_** true… I could’ve gotten us to the Red or White Queen’s castle easily from here. I just didn’t mention that to either of them… Naughty me!

            The Hatter whirled around and stared right at her, “You don’t **_slay_** … Have you any idea what the Red Queen has done?” he scoffed, “You don’t **_slay_**!”

            She plopped down on my shoulder sulkily, “I couldn’t if I wanted to…” she pouted.

            Tired from all the walking we’d done, I seated myself on the stump to catch my breath.

            He put his hands on his hips, an accusing gaze fixed on the tiny girl, “You’re not the same as you were before. You were much more… ** _muchier_** …You’ve lost your muchness…” he informed her sadly.

            “My **_muchness_**?”

            “In there,” he poked her in the tummy with his finger, “Something’s missing…” Hatter seemed a little happier when he locked eyes with me, “You, on the other hand, have enough muchness for the three of us and then some.”

            “Yeah, I get that a lot.” I smiled. I was often told that I was outspoken, not usually that I had enough “muchness” for three people. Same difference, right?

            Alice frowned thoughtfully, and then looked up at the Hatter, “Tell us what the Red Queen has done…”

            His disposition changed back to a melancholy mood, “It’s not a pretty story.”

            “Tell us anyway.” she insisted.

            He looked around us at the scorched trees and ash covered ground; all around, there were signs of a great fire. It was then that I realized that some of the trees weren’t trees at all, they were houses… or what was left of them, “It was here,” he blinked, his eyes tearing up, “I was hatter to the White Queen at the time… the Hightopp clan has always been employed in her court…” Tarrant’s voice became hoarse with emotion as he began the tale of the Horunvendush Day Massacre…a tale that I knew well.

           

_The whole Hightopp clan had been there, all of them from Witzend, that is. Moms, dads, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters; all of them present. Everyone had on brand new top hats too. His parents were dancing with some of the other adults, his cousin Christian was going to propose to his girlfriend Zada during the feast, his other cousin Luna was patiently waiting for the Knave to visit her, playing with the necklace he‘d given her to pass the time. He had promised to sneak out of Iracebeth’s castle to celebrate with her, but he hadn’t shown up yet._

_The White Queen and her courtiers had just arrived, riding on pure white horses and in elaborate vanilla colored carriages. The March Hare, Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit and the Dormouse all rode beside her, and behind them was the White Knight, Alexander Stayne… Ilosovic’s father. In his scabbard around his waist was the coveted Vorpal Sword, the only weapon able to kill the Jabberwocky. **He** was the one everybody had come to see. His wife, Jasmin Stayne, leading his horse into the clearing, her long black hair blowing in the gentle breeze and her blue eyes glistening in the sunlight._

_A feeling of terror pierced their hearts as dark leathery wings blocked out the sun and purple flames filled the forest with screams of horror……it was the Jabberwocky himself! All the Hightopps tried to scramble to safety, but it was too late. Luna scrambled out of her seat underneath a tree, dropping her necklace in the process, and disappeared into the smoke. Christian grabbed his young bride-to-be and took flight in the opposite direction, his aunt Rosalynn and uncle Samuel fleeing to the forest nearby. And to make matters worse, the Knight was nowhere to be seen; the Vorpal Sword had been driven into the ground in his place, the fire giving the blade an eerie glow._

_Mirana’s horse got spooked by all the commotion, causing it to rear and throw her crown off her head. Tarrant grabbed the reins and led her inside the forest, losing his new hat in the process. He turned back to search for his family but could only make out one figure in all the smoke and carnage…_

_The Knave of Hearts picked up the fallen weapon, and struggling to control his massive steed, he rode off after the dragon creature. With a bloodcurdling yowl, the Jabberwocky disappeared, leaving disaster and woe behind… and only one living member of the Hightopp family in all of western Underland._

_Hatter returned to Witzend not long after everything had settled down to see how much damage had been done to the town. Nothing but dust and debris remained of the once sprawling clan and their homes… and one scorched and trampled hat lying in the center of the small village. He picked up the top hat, brushed off the grime, and placed it firmly on his head where it now sits._

 

            Alice watched him as he told his story, and she seemed to feel his pain. Now she understood his madness; she patted his hand sympathetically and looked into his jade green eyes. He shuddered, driven almost over the edge by his sorrow, helpless rage, and terrible loss.

            “Hatter?” she asked softly. He didn’t respond, “ _Hatter_!” she raised her voice.

            He jerked back into the moment, “I…I’m fine.” he said quickly. It’s a good thing we pulled him out of the abyss when we did; we nearly lost him there for a minute!

            “Are you?” she questioned what little sanity he had left.

            Instead of answering her, he spun around toward the dark forest behind us, “Did you hear that?” he whispered, “I’m almost certain that I heard something…”

            “I heard it too. It sounds like-” I tried to describe what I’d heard, until I heard the same thing again.

            We all noticed it this time, “Ahh! Red Knights!” he grabbed my hand and practically dragged me off the stump. I handed Alice to him, since I didn’t have a pocket or anything to put her in besides my backpack, and he slipped her into his waistcoat. The three of us shot off into the woods, the bloodhound’s chilling howl echoing all around us. I couldn’t see anything of Alice except for her tiny hands gripping the brocade fabric tightly and her little blond head poking out of his pocket.

            It was starting to get dark now, but I didn’t want to risk pulling out my phone just to check the time. We leapt over logs and dodged low branches, running as fast as our legs could carry us. Hatter screeched to a halt at the edge of the trees and handed me his beloved and bedraggled hat with Alice now sitting on its brim, “Take her west until you can cross the creek,” he pointed to my left, “then head south to Trotter’s Bottom; the White Queen’s castle is just beyond it.”

            I put his top hat on over the hat/hair bow that I already had on, “Got it.” Then I raced off in the direction he’d told me to go, not daring to look back…


	10. Chapter 9 - To Salazen Grum We Go!

Alice was protesting that she didn’t want to leave him behind the whole way to the crossing that we came to.

            “Look, I know you don’t want anything to happen to him; I don’t either. But if he distracts those bozos long enough, we can find a safer place to hide until we can bring him along. He’ll be fine on his own until then.” I tried to reassure her.

            I hopped over the stream and headed back the way we’d come, “If it helps, we can go back and check on him from over here, ok? Even if the Cards see us, by the time they can get across we’ll be long gone.”

            “Allyson, you’d really do that for me?!” she exclaimed.

            “Well yeah, why wouldn’t I?”

            “Thank you!”

            I shrugged, “Eh, it’s really no problem. We’re supposed to go this way anyway… might as well look in on Mr. Hightopp.” I smirked, “Who knows? Maybe they’ll let him go, since you’re not with him.”

            “You may be right…and I hope you are.” she slid down the pink ribbon and sat on my shoulder.

            We snuck behind a tree directly across the stream from the Hatter, but he didn’t notice us watching him. He himself was hiding from the Red Cards, until the bloodhound ratted him out. He threw up his arms and bowed to his captors in a sarcastically conciliatory way before bellowing triumphantly, “ ** _DOWN WITH THE BLOODY RED QUEEN!!!_** ”

            “ _Oh no!_ ” Alice gasped. My heart jumped to my throat, but I couldn’t swallow it.

            “ ** _Tarrant_** , _you doofus_! _Now what in the world did you do that for_?” I scolded him under my breath. Even if they didn’t find any evidence that he’d helped her escape them again, they’d never let him go for that little stunt.

            I ducked behind the gnarled old tree, setting the hat with Alice in the grass next to me, “Well, that didn’t turn out like it should have…” I muttered.

            “Now what are we going to do!?” Alice sniffled. She hugged her knees to her chest and leaned her head against the velvet hat.

    “We can’t go after them… it’s getting too dark to be meandering around in those woods chasing after the Cards. We’ll have to wait ‘til morning.” I laid against the trunk of the tree, “But for now, we need to get some rest.” Pulling out the bottle of pishsavler from my bag, I took a swig of the staunch little potion and began to shrink again until I was a bit smaller than Alice. My clothes once more shrunk to fit me, unlike hers that required a wardrobe change every thirty minutes, “Is there room under that hat for me?”

            She smiled dejectedly and crawled under it with me following close behind, “I guess…” she sighed and fell over in the grass underneath the hat.

            I touched her shoulder and then laid down myself, “Don’t worry about him Alice, he’ll be fine. Trust me.”

            She breathed deeply before she finally dozed off, leaving me still awake. What little sleep I did get was plagued with nightmares of Bandersnatches, dark wings, fire and screams of agony. The musty smell of the interior fabric was somewhat comforting, but at the same time it reminded me of what had befallen our friend the Hatter.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      I was almost relieved when I heard the sound of sniffing just outside the hat; that meant that we were about to start our journey to the Red Queen’s castle atop a dog. Never a dull moment down here!

            Alice, on the other hand, was extremely peeved at the animal the snuffling was coming from. As soon as the black nose turned the hat over, she was on her feet and shaking her fist at him, “You **_turncoat_**! You were supposed to lead those Guards away, the Hatter **_trusted_** you! You guddler’s scuttish-” I cut her off with a hand over her mouth before she could repeat the Hatter’s foul language from yesterday.

            “ _Sorry_ …” I mouthed to the dog, “Are you quite finished?” she stopped talking so I would removed my hand. Her arms were crossed and she was tapping her foot impatiently.

            He jumped back, his long ears drooping. His wrinkled face was sad and sagging, “They have my wife and pups.” he said mournfully.

            This didn’t make her any less ticked off, “What’s your name?” she demanded.

            “Bayard.”

            “Sit.” she ordered. Bayard looked to me, amused if nothing else; I only shrugged, “ ** _Sit_**.” she said again.

            He finally did, when something seemed to jog his memory, “Would either of your names be Alice by any chance?”

            “Yes, but I’m not the one that everyone is after.” she remarked snidely. He looked at me again.

            “Nope, my name’s Allyson. Not Alice.”

            Bayard turned to her, “The Hatter wouldn’t have given himself up just for **_any_** Alice…” This sent the poor girl on another guilt trip. Why did Tarrant have to do such a fool thing!?

            “Where did they take him? Where’s the Hatter?” Alice asked forcefully. Her hard demeanor could scarcely hide her sadness; it sure as heck wasn’t tricking me.

            “To the Red Queen’s castle in Salazen Grum.”

            The thick grass rippled like water around us as we turned back towards the hat, remembering the Hatter’s pained expression. Alice whirled around to face Bayard once more, “We’re going to rescue him!” she said resolutely.

            “That is not foretold in the Oraculum.”

            “It doesn’t matter. He wouldn’t be there if **_you_** hadn’t barked.” I objected, “The least you can do is to take us to him. We can handle the rest.”

            “If you diverge from the path…” he started.

            “ ** _I make the path_**!” Alice shouted, interrupting the dog.

            She was so ferocious and commanding that Bayard laid down at her tiny feet, and she crawled onto his neck to sit on his collar “Take us to Salazen Grum, Bayard.” Knowing that I wasn’t going to ride, Alice turned to me, “Don’t forget the hat.”

            I broke off a piece of Upelkuchen that I had stashed in my bag and stuffed it into my mouth. When I’d reached my normal height, I put the hat back on and grabbed my book bag, “I got it.” And with that, we took off to save the Hatter from the evil clutches of the Red Queen.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The three of us raced across some very unusual landscapes, like nothing I’d ever seen before. We climbed over hills, jumped creeks and broken fences, zigzagged through stands of trees and bushes, and even had to wade through some nasty red mud.

            It wasn’t long before we reached the desert of Crims; the Red Queen’s palace stood out like a sore thumb from the blue sky behind it. I could faintly hear the roar of the Crimson Sea on the far side of the castle, and the waves shot up over the wall of steep black cliffs and bombarded the sides of the towers.

            It seemed to get taller and more ominous as we got closer, the grungy outer walls got higher and harder to scale. We slowed down as we approached the moat, a foul smell arising from the murky water and whatever was floating in it. There was no bridge in sight, and no other way across. I stared intently at the lumpy, bloated things bobbing up and down in the reddish brown liquid, until I realized that they were the severed heads of Iracebeth’s victims. I tried not to gag, “ ** _Ew_**!”

            “This is the only way to get across unseen.” Bayard confirmed my worst fears; we’d have to walk on the heads to get to the other side.

            Unless… “Couldn’t we get on the hat and you throw us over the wall?” I asked him. He nodded, “But, how’re we gonna get this over there?” I held up my bag.

            “I’ll have our inside help come and retrieve it later; he’ll bring it straight to you.” the dog replied.

            I was perplexed by his answer, “Inside help? You mean the Resistance has a **_spy_** in the Red Queen’s castle? Who is he?!” now I’d gotten all excited over this mysterious “double agent”.

            “All in good time…” he said cryptically “All in good time…” How I hate when people

- _and animals_ \- don’t give me a straight answer!

            I set my bag down in the tall grass and pulled out what was left of the pishsavler, “Bottoms up…” I gulped the rest of it down, sneezing and coughing because of the strength of the potion. I tried shaking it out, but my head kept spinning for a few minutes before I could climb onto the hat with Alice, “Alright Bayard, let’s fly.” I had a death grip on the edge of the hat as the dog turned like a discus thrower and sent us sailing over the wall and onto the top of some hedges.

            “Ooh… I’m gonna be sick…” I moaned, rolling off the hat and into the leaves. “Remind me to **_never_** do that again…”

            Alice just laughed and followed me down the branches of the bush to solid ground. Land at last! We peeked around the roots of the shrub into a well-manicured garden. None of the plants had faces, or were able to speak, so it was considerably quieter than the first garden we’d been in.

            There were some rather odd people on the great lawn playing a game of croquet, just like in Maccay’s dream! I remembered the seven people she’d told me about; one lady had a long pointy nose, another had large ears that stood out from her head at least three inches more than they should have, the third woman was “top-heavy” to put it politely, there was a man with a HUGE forehead, the second had a quadruple chin, and the last guy’s stomach was so round it was a wonder he could see his own feet! Then, of course, there was a woman with a head as big as an elephant’s……the Red Queen.

            **_THWACK!_**

            The mallet Iracebeth was holding struck the ball and sent it flying right past us. The mallet wasn’t a mallet though; it was a flamingo… and the ball wasn’t a ball either; it was a tiny hedgehog! All four of its feet were tied together with a bit of string; its spikes were matted down and caked with grass and dirt. The hedgehog panted and gasped for air as it rolled to a stop behind us; it was the saddest little thing I’d ever seen in my life! Alice’s hands were shaking with fury while she untied the shivering critter and set it free, “What kind of cruel, sick person can do that to an innocent animal?!” I fumed.

            “I don’t know Allyson. Apparently **_she_** can without a second thought about it.” Alice snarled.

            “Where’s my ball? **PAGE**!” the Red Queen called on none other than the White Rabbit.

            “Y-yes your majesty…” he stammered before hopping off into the bushes. He skidded to a stop as soon as he saw us, “Well, if it isn’t the **_wrong_** Alice and **_not_** Alice at all. What brings the two of you here?”

            “We’re here to rescue the Hatter.” I told him.

            He practically laughed in our faces, “Ha! You’re not saving anyone being the size of gerbils!”

            “Do you have any of that cake that can make us grow?” Alice asked.

            He raised his eyebrows, “Upelkuchen? Yes, I believe I have some left…” he dug around in his pocket and pulled out two cakes, handing one to each of us.

            I took a few small bites of mine, but I had a strange feeling that I wasn’t quite the right height… I felt… _taller_ … I didn’t want to stand up, for fear of being seen by the Red Queen and her lackeys, so I sat on my knees and waited for Alice. When I looked down, I noticed my outfit had changed again! Now I had on a short black dress with red silk underneath it and shiny black ballet flats. A shiny black ribbon tied into a bow replaced the tiny clip-on hat from earlier.

            She must’ve been hungry, because she ate nearly **_all_** of her cake! Not a good idea… “No, not that much! Alice! Oh dear, oh dear!” the Rabbit reprimanded her.

            My new friend grew and grew and grew until her clothing ripped down the seams and her head popped out of the shrubbery. “Great…” I rolled my eyes and stood up next to her. Thank goodness my clothes didn’t come off! That would’ve been bad… ** _really_** bad.

            The Red Queen walked up to our hiding place, all of her minions following behind her, staring with curiosity. “And _WHAT_ is this?!” she demanded.


	11. Chapter 10 - Inside the Castle of Crims

"It’s a **_who_** , majesty… this is Allyson and um……” he struggled to come up with a good fictitious name for Alice. I didn't need one, since I wasn't high up on the 'Most Wanted' list.

            “Um?”

            Time for some quick improvisation, “From Umbradge!” I finished for him, smiling courteously at the maniacal monarch. I tried to make it seem as natural as possible, not wanting to come across as suspicious.

            “What happened to her clothes?” the royal cocked her head to one side, obviously befuddled by the absence of any outer garments.

            “She outgrew them…”

            “I’ve been growing an awful lot lately… I tower over everyone in Umbradge. They laugh at me, except for Allyson. She’s very accepting and good-humored about it… she doesn’t mind me being so tall; she’s pretty tall herself, you see. So we’ve come to you, hoping you would understand what it’s like…” said Alice.

            The Queen vaguely grinned, “My dear girls, any one with heads that large are welcome in my court. Someone find Um some clothes! Use the curtains if you must, but clothe this **_enormous_** girl!” she commanded anyone of her servants in earshot. The Guards and her court members scattered like squirrels in search of something to cover up Um. She then turned back to us still standing behind the bushes, “You’re my new favorites…” she murmured. The out-of-the-ordinary folks already in her court cast dark, jealous glares at the two of us, and while the Queen wasn’t looking, I stuck my tongue out at all six of them.

              _Losers_!

**_\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -_ **

I ran after anybody that had fabric in their hands, directing and pointing where to put this that and the other, how to connect this and with what. If Alice was going to wear another makeshift outfit, it wasn’t going to look homemade. It was going to be something that **_I_** would willingly wear in public **_without_** complaint.

            We finally scrounged together a halfway decent dress, it was kind of short in my opinion, but it wasn’t **_too_** bad! “You know, I’d actually like to have a dress like this **_Um_**.” I winked, “Don’t let me forget this design; I really like it!”

            Under her breath, she muttered, “When we leave here, you can **_have_** this one! My mother would whip me good if I came out of my **_room_** dressed like this!”

            I chuckled, “Don’t feel bad…mine probably would too, but I can get it alternated so it’ll be long enough to wear.” I tugged a loose edge over her shoulder as we hurried down the hallway after the Red Queen, “It looks nice on you though.” I complimented her. She smiled.

            Everywhere we looked in the throne room, several animals were hard at work doing things that just weren’t natural for animals to do; flamingos and hedgehogs weren’t the only ones suffering here. Birds painfully fluttered high above our heads, struggling to hold humongous chandeliers in their beaks. Tables and chairs had no legs, they were being held up by frail little spider monkeys, their arms trembling with exhaustion. Frogs and fish in butler’s uniforms stood as still as statues as we walked by them, none of them moved or spoke.

            My mind was about to explode with all the anger and resentment that was building up for the Red Queen. This animal abuse was sadistic and unnecessary; and it was really starting to gnaw at my suddenly shortened temper. If the wrong person says the wrong thing to me at the wrong time, they’re liable to get an earful; and you can take **_that_** to the bank! I had to remind myself why we were here so I wouldn’t go off on anybody and give myself and Alice away.

            We entered the biggest throne room I’d ever seen ( _it also being one of the **only** throne rooms I’d ever seen_) and it was furnished much the same way. This woman really knows how to test my patience! Without a second glance at the small primates that held up her fancy-schmancy seat of royalty, the Queen plopped her rear-end in the seat, “I need a pig here!” she called out.

            Out of seemingly nowhere, a pig scampered up to her and lay belly-up beneath her feet. Iracebeth dug her heels into its tummy and sighed happily, the pig only grunted. “I love a warm pig belly for my aching feet…Would you like one?” She asked both of us.

            “No thank you.”

            “No thanks.” I locked my jaws together, trying to restrain myself from blowing a head gasket. So far it was working, but I didn’t know how long it’d last before I lose my cool.

            “Sit! Sit!” she instructed us. I refused to sit in the chair next to her, preferring to have a seat on the floor, whilst Alice reluctantly sat on a stool held up by two monkeys. They couldn’t even lift her a centimeter off the ground, so they gave up and simply grasped the handles on the chair’s sides. The Red Queen glanced at me, “You seem rather tense… is there a problem?”

            “No… it’s just… I have a lot on my mind right now. That’s all…” I lied through gritted teeth. She didn’t say anything about it again.

            “Go away…” she shooed her courtiers out of the room. They bowed and stalked out the door, grumbling all the way. She droned on, “Where are my Fatboys? You must meet them! **_FATBOYS_**!” she barked.

            To our horror, the “Fatboys” turned out to be Tweedledee and Tweedledum. I figured this must’ve been where the Jubjub bird had brought them, but I had no idea their condition would be this bad when we got here. Their once cheerful and round faces were glum and gloomy, and on their foreheads were heart-shaped ink stamps. They quietly shuffled towards us, staring down at the grey marble floor. I was now **_OFFICIALLY_** at the end of my rope…this was getting absolutely **_ridiculous_**! One more wrong move on her part and **_her_** head would be floating in that moat before I left this place!

            “They’re they are!” she squealed, clapping her hands with joy, “Aren’t they adorable!? They have the funniest way of speaking… speak boys! Amuse us.”

            They said nothing.

            “ ** _Speak_**!”

            One of them, Tweedledee I think, looked up and caught sight of me and Alice but we shook our heads ‘no’. He didn’t quite catch our drift, “Are those beings…”

            Tweedledum, however, had seen our gestures and corrected his brother, “No it isn’t… Not a bit, no!” he seemed to brighten up with hope; he knew we were gonna get them out of here.

            This severely confounded his twin, “Contrariwise, I believe it’s so-”

            “It ain’t so no-how!” Dum stomped on Dee’s foot to shut his mouth. Irked by the uncalled for toe squashing, he popped his brother’s arm as hard as he could. This was followed by much pinching and poking.

            The Queen cackled raucously, and I tried my darnedest not to do the same at her, “I **_love_** my **_wittle_** Fatboys!” she chortled, “Now, get out.” she waved her hand to dismiss them.

            Casting once last pleading glance back to us, they hobbled out the door…right past the Knave of Hearts waltzing in like he owned the place.

            Iracebeth went from a hardened, heartless ruler to a lovesick puppy in less than three seconds, batting her long eyelashes seductively at tall, dark and creepy as he made his entrance. She held out her hand and he hesitantly kissed it; I could tell he wished he was anywhere but here…and he hadn’t even seen me yet! Boy was **_he_** in for a surprise!

            The two Knights that had escorted him into the room did an about face and marched off, leaving him to fend for himself. His facial expression gave away his boredom and a dark circle under his eye told of his sleepiness… all that changed when he saw Alice. Stayne’s light brown eye shot open and both eyebrows went straight up, “And uh, who is this ** _lovely creature_**?” he was clearly referring to Alice, but he should’ve looked before he started slinging flattery about.

            I leaned forward so that he could see me over the Red Queen’s puffy dress, and smiled sweetly, “Forgotten my name already Stayne? We met the other day, remember?” I asked him.

            His whole face went pale and his eye got even wider, “ ** _Allyson_**?! W-what are **_you_** doing here?!” he stuttered in shock.

            “Sitting here with the Queen…what are **_you_** doing here?” I shot back. He didn’t answer me.

            “Who’s your **_friend_** here?” he took Alice’s hand and kissed it a lot more eagerly than he did the Queen’s. She cast me a fleeting glance, begging me to do something about this weirdo trying to flirt with her.

            “Um, my new favorite.” the Red Queen replied, with a rather displeased tone. She wasn’t too happy about his sudden interest in the new girl.

            “Does she have a name?” Stayne asked again.

            “Um.” she repeated.

            He gave Alice an oily smile, “I believe your name has slipped her Majesty’s mind, my dear…” he simpered. Good Lord Stayne, get a room man! Please! _Bleh_! I made a gagging face behind his back, and Alice couldn’t help but giggle…all Stayne did was glare at me.

            “Her name **_is_** **Um** you buffoon!” Iracebeth slapped the back of his head as hard as she could. He was trying hard not to return the favor; he kept his cool and backed away from Alice. “Any luck with the prisoner?” she changed the subject quickly.

            **_Prisoner?_** Could it be…?

            Ilosovic shook his head and removed his gloves, “He’s stubborn…” he grumbled. From my place on the floor, I could see faint scratch marks all over his hands; some were pretty fresh, still bleeding slightly, while others looked like scars from a good many years ago. Hmm, where could **_those_** have come from?

            “You’re too soft… **BRING** **HIM**!” the Red Queen shouted to the Guards. Stayne ignored her last comment somewhat, but I could tell he was biting back the urge to say a few choice words to the Queen; probably something along the lines of what Tarrant had said to Chessur yesterday…

            A clatter at the door announced the arriving of the Cards and the prisoner; I had to hold my breath so that I wouldn’t gasp in shock. It **_was_** the Hatter! He was chained around his wrists and ankles, he had bruises and cuts all over his face, blood was soaking through his black waistcoat, and it looked like somebody had given his left eye a pretty bad shiner recently. His gaze was faraway and empty, like he wasn’t even there.

            For some reason, the Knave got really jumpy and skittish the closer the Hatter got to the throne. There was something akin to pity in his eyes, but I couldn’t tell if he was faking it or if he really felt sorry for Tarrant. Man oh man, did Iracebeth know how to drive somebody crazy or what?! She was less than a hair’s width away from having me beat her head down to normal size and **_then_** some!

            It must’ve been gut-wrenching for poor Alice to see him in such an awful state, she looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment…yet another reason for me to totally despise the Red Queen.

            “We know **_Alice_** has returned to Underland, do you know **_where_** she is?” she snarled. Tarrant didn’t respond for a few minutes, but then he jerked back into the present. His vision seemed to focus a little, but he still didn’t see either of us.

            “I’ve been _considering_ things that begin with the letter _M_ … ** _Moron_** ,” he grinned and looked right at the Queen, but she said nothing, “mutiny, murder, m-malice…” he continued his list of _M_ s.

            She clearly wasn’t as amused as I was by his humor, “We’re looking for an _A_ word… ** _Where. Is. Alice?!_** ” she barked hastily. **_I_** was thinking of a couple of _**A**_ **words** , but I wasn’t going to say them out loud in the present company…

            He sat back on his heels and thought, like he was deciding whether or not to tattle on Alice. He finally saw the two of us watching him and smiled wryly; he must think that the Queen and the Knave are both blind as a couple of bats! The answer to her question had been sitting beside her for at least five minutes! “Who, that wee little boy? Ha, **_I_** wouldn’t know.” he chuckled. The Knave was really antsy now; however, he tried not to make it so obvious.

            “What if I take off your head?! Will you know then!?”

            The Hatter burst into a ridiculous bout of laughter that almost made me giggle myself. Alice had to cover her mouth so that the Red Queen wouldn’t see her grin, and the Knave turned away with his lips slightly curling up at the ends. He knew he wanted to snicker like the rest of us, but he wouldn’t do it.

            “Stop that.” Iracebeth snipped. He did as he was told, then he smiled unctuously. Tarrant was up to something…

            “What a **_regrettably_** large head you have…” he said smoothly, walking closer to the Queen, “I should very much like to **_hat_** it.”

            “ _Hat_ it?” she echoed him.

            “Yes. I used to hat the White Queen you know. She wasn’t very much to work with, poor dear, her head is **_so small_**!” he added slyly.

            “It’s tiny, it’s a pimple of a head!” she snorted haughtily. Well at least Mirana doesn’t have a pimple for a **_brain_** …unlike **_some_** people…

            “But **_this_!**” he cried, pretending to act enthusiastic, “What I could do with this ** _monument_** , this **_orb_** … nay! This **_magnificently heroic GLOBE_**!” For a Hatter, he sure was a ham! And I thought **I** was bad, sheesh!

            Her interest was attracted, “What _could_ you do?” she asked, captivated despite herself.

            He held up his cuffed hands helplessly; he couldn’t do anything with his hands tied together.

            “Unbind him Stayne.” she commanded the Knave, “How can he work if his hands are bound?!”

            I looked up at Stayne from my seat beside the Red Queen, smiling mockingly as if to say, “ _You heard the lady; get to unbinding Stayne! Chop, chop!_ ” I flicked my hands toward the Hatter.

            He rolled his eye, but he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut while he slashed the chains off the shackles around Tarrant’s ankles and wrists. Ilosovic stepped back as the Hatter circled Iracebeth, contemplating what kind of headwear to design for her **_Majesty_**.

            “Well then, shall it be a bonnet or a boater? Or something for the **_boudoir_**?” he pondered aloud, “Cloche, **_dunce hat_** , death cap, coif, snood, barboosh, pugree, yarmulke, cockle-hat, porkpie, tam-o‘-shanter, billycock, bicorn, tricorn, bandeau, bongrace, fan-tail, nightcap, garibaldi, **fez** …”

            He was about to go farther off the edge if we didn’t snap him out of it, “ _Hatter_!” Alice pretended to sneeze so she could get his attention.

            He stopped mid-rant, “ _Fez_ …”

            The Red Queen paused in thought for a moment to make her decision, and then she dismissed me, Alice and Stayne, “Leave us.”

            The three of us left the room and went into the main hall. I’m not really sure where the Knave went, but I had some exploring to do and Alice had a Vorpal Sword to find…


	12. Chapter 11 - Saved by a Song

Meanwhile, on the other side of Underland, Bayard galloped through the gates of the White Queen’s castle.

            Inside the palace walls, her **_true_** Majesty was talking with one of her loyal courtiers, “The willows seem sad, have you been speaking with them?” she asked her lady-in-waiting.

            “Yes your Majesty.” the woman replied.

            “Perhaps a bit more _kindly_ …” the Queen saw Bayard dragging himself across the pale cobblestones, “Would you all excuse me for a moment? Thank you.” she edged away from the group flocked around her and scurried to the dog’s side. She gave him a cold dish of water and stroked his long, floppy ears.

            “What news Bayard?” she asked in a gentle voice.

            “ _Alice_ …has **_returned_** to Underland!” he panted. The Queen was delighted to hear this glorious news, “And, there’s another girl with her…Allyson.”

    Mirana looked all around for the two girls, “Where are they now?”

            The bloodhound hung his head low, “In Salazen Grum. Forgive me, I allowed Alice to diverge from her destined path…”

            “No, no, no, but that is exactly where she’ll find the Vorpal Sword…and Allyson will bring home our lost soldier. We have our champions, rest now, you’ve done well.” she applauded his actions. And with that, the exhausted canine collapsed to the ground.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

       I stood in one of the enormous windows of the Red Queen’s castle, watching as Alice searched for Tarrant’s hat in the bushes. She stooped down and asked the little hedgehog from earlier if he’d seen it, and he pointed to the shrub we’d landed in. Alice picked it up and gently brushed off the leaves and dirt, then she disappeared into a door beneath me; I guess she was going to see the Hatter.

             I was about to continue my self-guided tour when I heard the dull _thud_ of boots coming up behind me. Turning my head over to the right, my eyes locked onto the Knave, and he was holding something behind his back. I thought I was going to have to open up a can of **_you-know-what_** , but his next move shocked me so much that I couldn’t have drawn my weapon if I’d had to, “Hello Allyson…” he said shortly, like he was in a rush to get out of here.

            “Hello Stayne. What brings you to this part of the castle?” I tried to seem a little friendlier than I had previously. I was on his home turf now, so I didn’t want to get under his skin too badly.

            “ ** _I’d_** like to ask **_you_** the same thing, but I haven’t got the time.” the Knave held out his hand, with my missing backpack dangling from his fingers, “You spell your name with two _L_ s and a _Y,_ don’t you?”

            “Yeah, why?”

            “I believe this belongs to you then…” I took the bag from him cautiously, thinking maybe it was some kind of trick.

            “Thanks, but how did you know I had one in the first place?” I inquired. Something just wasn’t right here…

            “I’ll have to explain that later, but right now the Queen wants me to meet with her in her room. I like for you to go with me, if you don’t mind.” he shuddered at the mention of being in her private living quarters.

            I couldn’t contain the giggles, “ _Oooh_ , you sure you want me to come? I wouldn’t want to **_interrupt_** anything.” I nearly crumpled into a heap trying not to laugh so hard.

            He hooked onto my arm and led me down the hall, “For my own sake, I hope you do.” he grumbled under his breath. “You wouldn’t happen to play the piano any good, would you?”

            “Yes, I can actually. Why’d you ask?”

            “You’ll see.” we continued our trek to the Queen’s room in silence.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            When Stayne and I arrived in the Queen’s bedroom, she was already pacing the floor in front of her balcony, “There you are darling…” she coaxed the Knave of Hearts in to the room with an extended hand and batting eyelashes. Ilosovic swiftly kissed her hand, and then he motioned me in beside him.

            “Majesty, I hope you don’t mind if Allyson practices her piano in here for a short while.” he asked in a slippery, slimy voice. I just attempted to smile and look all sweet and innocent; so far it was working for both of us.

            Iracebeth snuggled up to the walking beanpole in armor and tenderly wrapped her arms around his waist, “Of course she can. Anything for you Stayne…” her beady eyes peered at me around his sword and thick cape, “I didn’t know you played! Do you sing too?” she beamed.

            “Yes majesty.” I nodded, much to the Knave’s relief. I wonder why he was trying to distract her; did he know something I didn’t? Was something about to happen that she didn’t know about? Hmm…oh well!

            I plopped down on the ebony bench, the first normal piece of furniture I’d seen yet, and stared blankly at the ivory keys. What the heck should I play? Gah, decisions! To get my mind on picking a song, I started playing the instrumental version of “ _Jack’s Lament_ ” from “ _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ ” and mulling over what to sing. Even with the music playing, I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.

            “You **_must_** find Alice, Stayne. Without the Jabberwocky, my sister’s followers will surely **_wise_** against me.” she declared with that annoying speech impediment of hers rearing its ugly head. The Knave twisted his head towards the other side of the room, where I was, and rolled his eye, mimicking her talking. I struggled not to laugh and just kept plunking away at the keys on the piano, “Ugly little sister…why do they adore **_her_** and not **_me_**?!” she whined.

            “ _You **really** want me to answer that?_” I thought to myself. Stayne was probably thinking the same thing.

            “I cannot fathom it…” he wheedled, “You are ** _far superior_** in **_all_** ways.” he fibbed. Ilosovic slowly sauntered up beside her on the balcony trying not to get too close to the Red Queen.

            “ _Kiss-up_!” I coughed into my shoulder. Iracebeth ( _luckily_ ) didn’t hear, but Stayne whirled around to shoot daggers at me with his eye. I looked around like I had no idea who’d said that and shrugged, actually luring a chuckle out of the Knave.

            “I know… but Mirana can make anyone fall in love with her! Men, women, even the blasted furniture!” she waved dismissively at the monkey tables and pig chairs lying around the room, “I can’t even get any of them to **_like_ **me…”

            “ _Can’t imagine why……_ ” I muttered.

            The Knave cast a dark look down at the moat below, “Even the King?” he whispered barely audible over the blaring piano. I stopped playing briefly and glanced up at him, coming to stand behind the two “lovebirds”. I peered over the railing and noticed something shiny in the crimson river; a crown, still attached to a man’s head.

            “ _Oh…my…gosh…_ ” I gasped. Iracebeth paid no mind to me, but Stayne had to help me back to my seat so I wouldn’t collapse in the middle of the floor. I rubbed my temples with my fingers, attempting to process what I’d just seen; did the Red Queen kill her own husband and not even bother to remove the crown he was wearing before she did so?! Gosh, and I thought she was brutal earlier, now she’s gone way too far…

            “I had to do it. He would’ve left me…”

            Could you **_blame_** the man?! I mean REALLY? I would’ve got the heck outta Dodge too if I knew the person I married was an arrogant, callous, self-centered, kill-crazy hare brain like her! You couldn’t have **_paid_** me enough to stay!

            “Majesty, is it not better to be feared than loved?” the Knave inquired. Judging by the way he asked, it seemed like he didn’t really care about her answer, he was just buying time and distracting her from McTwisp darting in the door and snatching the Oraculum right from under her upturned nose. The White Rabbit smiled knowingly at me, then ran out of the room undetected, oracle safe in his paws.

    Time for me to put my two cents in, “Majesty, is it not the better to be admired and respected than feared or loved?” I started anew with “ _Fur Elise_ ” on the piano while waiting for her reply.

            She looked at the Knave, then me, then to the moat underneath her, “I’m not certain any more…” she contemplated what each of us had said, not really knowing how to answer either question. Her pondering gave me just enough time to figure out what to sing… little did any of us know, the song I picked would change the course of this very night and every night after…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Allyson had a point, respect and admiration are far better than fear, but I’m not so sure about them surpassing genuine love and caring… something I hadn’t felt or been shown since…. since **_her_** …and that was quite some time ago. How I wished that I could go back to those days…back when everything was so much easier. There was no Red Queen, no worrying about being attacked by the Jabberwocky, Bandersnatch or Jubjub bird, no lies, no secrets, no missing parents, no Massacre…

            We were all just children then; me, the Hatter, Alice ( _whom, I know for a fact is in this castle somewhere_ ), the Cheshire Cat, the Hare, the Rabbit, the Dormouse, Mirana, Christian ( _Tarrant’s older cousin_ ), and **_her_** … Luna… the Hatter’s younger cousin… she was only a year younger than he was. She was so beautiful, so amazing… and she loved me. Even after Iracebeth kidnapped me and forced me to work for her… Luna was still there for me. She really loved me…no matter what.

            And then the Massacre took my angel away, swiped her from my grasp. After that day I knew I’d never see her again; she was gone. Dead. And it was all **_my_** fault.

             All I had left of her were memories and a silver locket I had given her a few weeks before she was killed. I kept it hidden in a drawer in my room, somewhere safe from the Queen’s reach. The silver chain was still latched together, and the shiny grey heart was collecting plenty of dust. I don’t know why I held on to something that was so painful to see, to think about, but I did. I highly doubt I’ll find anyone else worthy of that locket in this lifetime, but it’s still possible I guess.

            Allyson could play the piano wonderfully, I’ll give her that. I never expected a girl so young would have so much talent for a thing like music. Most adults I knew couldn’t play this well, especially after seeing a moat full of severed heads that close up. It wasn’t until she started singing that I realized how good she really was. I don’t know the name of the song she sang, but I’ll never forget the words.

           

_Under your spell again_

_I can’t say no to you_

            _Crave my heart and it’s bleeding in your hand_

_I can’t say no to you_

           

            Wasn’t that the truth! I couldn’t object to anything the Red Queen said, lest I want to lose my head…literally. Being under a spell had nothing to do with it, but the grip of fear Iracebeth has on me is the only thing keeping me here. If I wasn’t such a coward, I’d be gone before the sun rose tomorrow morning.

_Shouldn’t let you talk to me so sweetly_

_Now I can’t let go of this dream_

_I can’t breath but I feel…_

_Good enough_

_I feel good enough_

_For you_

I’d hardly call all these orders and demands that I’m given every single day “talking sweetly”, and this is most definitely **_not_** a dream; more like a nightmare that I can’t awaken from. If only there was some way to turn back the clock and keep this all from happening…

_Drink up sweet decadence_

_I can’t say no to you_

_And I’ve completely lost myself_

_And I don’t mind_

_I can’t say no to you_

Contrariwise, I do mind losing who I am to the heartless, cold person everyone seems to think I’ve become. I don’t know what they think Iracebeth’s done to me or what they believe I’ve done to myself, but if I could, I’d tell them all that I’m the same as I was before all this. I’d tell them there’s no need to fear me; I may look different than I used to, but the inside of me is just as it always has been.

_Shouldn’t let you conquer me completely_

_Now I can’t let go of this dream_

_Can’t believe that I feel_

_Good enough_

_I feel good enough_

_It’s been such a long time coming_

_But I feel good_

I wish I could agree with these lyrics, I feel as far away from good as you can get. It’s too late to stop her from conquering what’s left of me… what’s been done is done. There’s no reversing the things the Red Queen has brought about; but there’s still hope for fixing the future… If only Alice would remember her first visit here…remember _me_ … then we could easily overthrow her **_“Majesty_** ” and save us all. If only……

_And I’m still waiting for the rain to fall_

_Pouring life down on me_

_‘Cause I can’t hold on_

_To anything this good now_

_Am I good enough?_

_For you to love me too_

            Waiting for the Red Queen’s reign to fall on its own is going to take too much time, and by the time it happens, it could be too late for the people of Underland. I need a plan… Or, better yet, **_we_** need a plan. I just hope Allyson is willing to work with me instead of against me. She seems like she’s smart and crafty to say the least; particularly after we met at the Tea Party.

_So take care what you ask me_

_‘Cause I can’t say no………_

She finished the song, leaving her fingers on the piano keys and her eyes on me, “ _Can **you** say no to **her**_ _Stayne?_ ” her gaze seemed to say “ _Will you?_ ”

            “ _Yes._ ” I though to myself, “ _I will. No more of this lie I’ve been living; time to let the truth be told. Time to show my true colors…and not one of them is red._ ”

            The Queen managed to shake off the trance she was under from the song, then turned to me and grinned like an idiot, “Oh let Mirana have the rabble! I don’t need them, I have you!” she wound her arms around me again, “I ** _do_** have you, don’t I…?”

            I turned to Allyson, hoping for some help on this, but she had vanished. I smiled vaguely, hoping that was enough to convince her that she still had me…for the time being that is…


	13. Chapter 12 - Hatters & Hidden Swords

I ducked under the doorway of the Red Queen’s dressing room where the Hatter was locked away. Strange stars twinkled outside in the deep blue night sky, and a bright moon beamed down into the darkened room.

            All around us, bows, veils, ribbons and feathers decorated a wide variety of hats and some were still lying about on the tables and in chairs. Tarrant hummed happily as he worked, smiling at me as I walked in. I stood behind him and admired his beautiful headwear that he was creating. Already, several huge, brightly colored hats were sitting on mannequins or scattered in the floor, “They’re wonderful! You must let me try one on!” I pleaded.

            “Alright!” he swept a hat off a nearby shelf and sat it atop my head. Tiny diamond studs dotted the gossamer veil that hung down over my face and back; fake red birds and feathers poked out from around the brim of the hat tickling my ears constantly. I took another hat covered in ivy leaves and roses and put it the place of his other hat. We both giggled at the ridiculous way we looked, and then put the hats back on their shelves.

            “It’s so good to be working at my trade once more.” he sighed, beginning yet another hat.

            “It’s just a pity you have to make them for **_her_** …”

            He stopped cold; his face was confused and worried, “What is the Hatter with me? _Hatter_ … _ma_ …” the Hatter’s eyes darted around nervously. Suddenly, he was seized by his anger and sorrow and began knocking everything to the ground.

            I knocked a pair of scissors away from him and turned him to face me, “ ** _Hatter_**!” I cried.

            His eyes changed back to their usual green color, “Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk? I’m frightened Alice. I don’t like it in here, it’s _terribly_ crowded.” he shivered, “ ** _Have I gone mad?_** ” Tarrant whispered.

            My hand felt of his forehead, just like my father had done when I was a little girl, “I’m afraid so…you’re **_entirely_** bonkers. But, I’ll tell you a secret; all the **_best_** people are.” I put my hand on his shoulder. The Hatter’s whole being, clothes and all, seemed to puff up with pride.

            Remembering what I’d originally come in here for, I reached behind me and pulled out his raggedy top hat, placing it in its proper place on his head. He was obviously too overwhelmed to speak, but the elated expression he was looking at me with said enough on its own, “That’s better, you look yourself again.” I told him.

            Our sentimental moment was interrupted by the Red Queen’s awful shrieking, “Hat man! Where are my hats?! I am **_NOT_** a patient monarch!”

            Yes, we **_know_** you’re not a patient monarch. No need to point it out.

            The Hatter seemed to snap into reality, and he put his hands firmly into mine, pulling me close to him, “ _I’ve been told she keeps the Vorpal Sword hidden in the castle. Find it Alice; take it to the White Queen. The White Rabbit will help you._ ” he told me, keeping his voice hushed.

            “Who told you that?” another voice piped up from behind us. We whirled around to see Allyson standing in the doorway, arms crossed in front of her chest.

            “An old friend of mine.” Tarrant chuckled. He winked at her, like the two of them knew something that I didn’t.

            “If this **_friend_** of yours is who I think it is I just had to help him distract Big Red so McTwisp could get the Oraculum and get outta there. He owes me **_big_** time for that by the way, so when we leave, someone be sure to remind him of that. I may be the lead singer in my own band but I **_do not_** do impromptu solo concerts for free.” she huffed, still smiling and snickering. Who was she talking about?

            “I’d be glad to relay the message, but who is it that you two are talking about?” I asked no one in particular.

            They exchanged sneaky grins, “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. You probably wouldn’t want me to tell you even if you would believe me.” Allyson replied with a riddle of course. Something tells me she’s been around the Caterpillar too much, “Don’t worry, you’ll see.”

            The Red Queen yelled again, “ ** _ALLYSON!_** Find the hat man and tell him to hurry up! I’m not very good at waiting dear!”

            “Yes your Majesty! We’re coming! C’mon, let’s go Hatter… you don’t wanna keep her **_majesty_** waiting.” she rolled her eyes contemptuously.

            “I’ll be there momentarily.” he nodded to the young girl as she dashed down the hall, then he looked back up at me, “Why is it that you’re always too small or too tall, Um?” he laughed quietly, still clinging to my hands. Now was one of those times that I was thinking the exact same thing.

            I didn’t think anything of slaying that Jabberwocky creature with the Vorpal Sword, but considering that the Hatter was being held prisoner so near the weapon, I had another idea of what to do with it….

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      I raced out the door to search for McTwisp, and instead found the Tweedles stationed outside a room at the end of the hallway, “Tweedledee! Tweedledum!” I’m not really sure if greeted them in the right order, but they didn’t seem to mind.

      “Alice!” one said.

            “Howdoyedo again!” the other grinned broadly.

            There wasn’t much time for chatter, so I asked, “Where’s the Rabbit?” to get things started quickly. Of course, I **_was_** talking to the Tweedles, so that did no good.

            “How is it that you’re being so great big!?” one of them queried.

            “She **_ain’t_** great big, this is how she normal is!” the other said impatiently.

            “I’m certain she was smaller when we met…”

            “She drank the pishsavler to get through the little door, recall it?”

            “Oh yeah……”

            Time to get back on subject, “Where’s McTwisp?” I questioned a second time.

            They pointed in opposite directions and replied in unison, “Over theres.”

            Well, this might take longer than I thought…I wonder how Allyson is coming along?

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            I wandered aimlessly through the halls of the Red Queen’s castle once more, no real purpose behind all this walking around. I had nothing else to do really…except think of an escape plan for myself and the others.

            Including the Knave.

            He was coming too. One way or another, as long as things went according to plan; which so far they were. He might not be my favorite person in the world, but I wouldn’t wish the punishment of living with the Red Queen on my worst enemy…and he wasn’t that either.

            Alice was probably off looking for the Rabbit so he could tell her where the Sword was, even though **_I_** could’ve told her where it was before we even **_got_** here. Not that I bothered to mention any of my knowledge of Underland; hey, she didn’t ask **_me_**! Oh well, I guess it’s for the best that she figures it out for herself.

            Hmm, speaking of Stayne….

            Tall Wonder slunk down the hall, trying to act inconspicuous, but he quickly caught my attention, “ _Aha! What have we here?_ ” I asked myself as I began to trail quietly behind him. “ _What could this big lummox be up to at this time of night?_ ” I dropped my bag near the throne room door and pursued him everywhere he went.

            He didn’t notice me following him through the corridors, around corners and down a flight of stairs. Ilosovic looked over his shoulder a few times, but I ducked into some doorways and behind a table to avoid getting seen. When Stayne finally stopped running around, he met up with the White Rabbit and the Dormouse!

            “I tried to get the key from the Bandersnatch, but I couldn’t get inside without waking him up. I didn’t want anybody to catch me, so I just left it around his neck. Um will have to get it herself if she wants that Sword.” he told them.

            “That’s fine. She’ll be able to handle it, I hope.” the Rabbit nodded with approval. “You’d better run along before she notices you’re gone.” he shooed him down the hall, in the other direction.

            “Are you going to be leaving with us Ilosovic?” the Dormouse added.

            He didn’t answer at first, pausing in the threshold of the door. Then he responded, barely above a whisper, “I don’t know Mally… I highly doubt it. I want to…but…” he croaked while disappearing into the shadows.

            No need to doubt, Stayne; **_I’m_** getting you out of here.

            Not even speaking to Mally or McTwisp; I continued to give chase, bound and determined to find some way to get us both out of here as soon as possible. It might involve using some acting on my part, but whatever works is fine with me.

            I might even have to throw down with the Red Queen to save our hides, but heck, it’d get things stirred up around here; that’s for sure! It’d make a nice snazzy exit too!

            But for now, I just need to keep an eye on the Knave to make sure he doesn’t do anything crazy that would mess up my plans. Getting caught helping the Resistance would be one of those things, for example…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Much to my astonishment, after much running helter-skelter through the castle, stair climbing and randomly wandering about we actually found the Rabbit. At first, I could hear him whispering with someone, but I couldn’t tell who it was. When we rounded the corner, I realized it was Mally, the Dormouse, dressed in a chambermaid’s uniform.

            “What are **_you_** doing here?” she snapped at me. I don’t know why she hates me so; I’ve done nothing to her! Oh well…

            “I’m rescuing the Hatter.”

            That set her off again; now she was really agitated with me, “ ** _I’m_** rescuing the Hatter!” Mally challenged my purpose. Was the Dormouse _jealous_ of me…over the **_Hatter_**? My oh my, things sure are strange down here!

            “He told me that the Vorpal Sword is hidden here in the castle somewhere. Help me find it, please!” I begged them all.

            The Twins ran off to hunt for the coveted weapon, but McTwisp and Mallymkun didn’t move, “ ** _I_** don’t take orders from big, clumsy, galumphing-”

            “ ** _Shoo!_** ”

            With an angry _squeak_ , she stomped away toward the direction of the throne room. When I turned back around, the White Rabbit was still in the same place, shaking nervously. “What is it McTwisp?”

 

            He looked up at me with a grave glint in his large pink eyes, “Alice, I know where the Sword is…”           


	14. Chapter 13 - Finding the Vorpal Sword & the World's Lamest Pick-Up Line

I was still tromping down the passageways of Iracebeth’s enormous castle, my Knave-watch in full swing. Stayne hadn’t done anything yet, but I could sense that he was up to something very, very roguish; his smug grin was a dead giveaway. I’m guessing that he thought these next few nights were his last as a not-so-free man, so he’d decided that a prank or a practical joke wouldn’t cost him much in the end. He had nothing to lose, so why not have a little fun with what he’s got while he still can?

            Given that there were no chairs in sight, I had to park myself in a doorway and hope nobody noticed me. He did the same thing, standing in plain sight behind the arch of the main door of the hall, pretending he wasn’t up to anything. He would chat with whoever walked past, but he never moved from that one spot. None of the courtiers seemed to think this behavior was odd or out of place; they acted like he did this every night! Maybe he did…who knows with him?

            He waited; I waited; nothing happened. Just what did this nutsy-cuckoo Knave think he was doing? Who or what is he waiting on?

And why am I so tired and dizzy all of a sudden?!

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      The White Rabbit lead me through yet another labyrinth of doors and hallways, until we came out into the large, empty courtyard of the stables. The two of us approached a small stone structure in the middle of the square, “The Sword is hidden inside… be careful Alice!” he warned me.

            As I crouched to open the wooden stall door, an awful stench came out of nowhere and filled my nose with a stinging sensation, “I know that smell…” I whimpered in horror.

            Sure enough, when I’d found the courage to peep in the door, I saw the Bandersnatch lying sound asleep in its stall. It growled in its slumber, pawing at the bloody straw bed underneath it and rolling onto its side. Even in this poor lighting, I could see bloody goo in the socket where his eye should’ve been.

            “I’m not going in **_there_**! Look what that **_thing_** did to my arm!” I squealed, holding out the cut for McTwisp to see. Much to my shock and dismay, I realized that the scrape had gotten much worse; it was severely infected. Several burning red welts had risen up around the swollen gashes, making them painful to even look at.

            “Dear oh dear! Why haven’t you mentioned this before now?!” the White Rabbit gasped, wringing his paws.

            I tilted it back and forth in the twilight, carefully studying the wound, “It wasn’t this bad earlier.”

            He began to hyperventilate, and his attempts to resuscitate himself failed miserably. He ended up in a dead faint in the center of the Red Queen’s stable yard, legs and front paws sticking straight up.

            “Well **_you’re_** a lot of help!” I muttered, looking back at the sinister walls of the castle, trying to calculate my next move…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            Ten minutes had passed uneventfully; both of us remained in the same position we’d been in…my leg was starting to fall asleep and my nose itched something fierce. I tried not to move though, because I didn’t want the Knave to see me spying on him.

            I was about to give up when I heard a new set of footsteps coming down the hall briskly. I turned my head slightly to the left and saw Alice jog past me, “ _Hullo…what’s she up to?_ ” I continued to follow with my eyes her to the other end of the corridor where she knelt in front of the Dormouse.

            But I wasn’t the only one keeping my **_eye_** on her…. Stayne had his gaze trained on the 9ft-tall girl in front of me too. Luckily, he failed to notice the 6 and a half foot-tall girl crouched in the door; me!

            I could scarcely hear what the two were saying, but I could understand some of it.

            “Mallymkun, do you still have the Bandersnatch eye?” Alice asked the tiny but feisty Dormouse.

            Mally hiked up her maid’s skirt to reveal her pants still under them, along with the milky colored Bandersnatch’s eye, “Right here!”

            She held out her hand, “I need it.”

            “ ** _Come an’ get it!_** ”

            Alice shrugged and grabbed the eyeball from her…just like she told her to. I had to stifle a round of laughing when the mouse tried to reclaim her trophy, “Hey! Give it back!” she wildly swung her hatpin sword to fend her off.

            “Um” turned on her heels and went back the way she came in, but something was different about this trip.

            She was being followed…by the Knave.

            And **_he_** was being followed…by yours truly.

            The three of us trotted down the hall toward the courtyard outside, one right after the other. I hung back, waiting to see what this loony tune was up to. If Stayne’s doing what I think he’s doing, this was gonna be even funnier in person than it was in the movie!

            Stayne finally caught up with Alice, and somehow managed to pin her to the wall, even though she’s nearly two feet taller than he is. This guy is either really ** _brave_** , really **_stupid_** , really **_desperate_** ( _no offense to Alice of course_ ) or a combo of all three.

            My guess is all three.

            I moved in as close as I could, just in time to hear the **_lamest_** pick-up line in the history of pick-up line history, “ _I like you Um… I like **largeness…**_ ” he sighed, leaning in to kiss her.

            Alice reared back and kicked him as hard as she could right in the shin, “Get away from me!” she yelled, running pell-mell down the hall.

            The Knave grabbed his knee and yelped in pain, “Ow! Darn, she got away…”he grumbled.

            “Tsk, tsk, tsk! What a shame! And you almost had her too!” I ambled out of my hiding place, arms crossed, shaking my head and laughing relentlessly. Stayne jumped nearly a foot off the ground when he saw me.

            “Where…? How long have you been standing there?!”

            “Long enough.” I tried not to laugh, “So… ** _largeness_** , huh?” I nudged him with my elbow.

            He didn’t say anything. His cheeks flushed bright red and he looked away; clearly embarrassed.

            “She likes somebody else. A lot. That’s why she told you off like that.” I put my hands on my hips and thought of Alice and the Hatter. _Her_ Hatter. _His_ Alice.

            Poor, lonely little Stayne…well _lonely_ Stayne anyway. He’s not really all that **_little_**.

            “Well **_excuse me_** for trying! What **_else_** am I supposed to do? I know I’m stuck here until the end…what does it matter?! What do **_I_** have to lose?” he moaned, throwing his hands in the air in surrender.

            Ignoring his self-pity wallowing, I could sense someone watching us from behind. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Lady Long Ears scurrying off to snitch on Ilosovic, “If you don’t think of something quick, you’re gonna **_lose_** your head!”

            “ ** _What_**!? **_Why_**?!”

            “Somebody else saw you try to kiss her, and they’re about to go tell Iracebeth! Hurry, we’ve got to get out of here!” I grabbed his wrist and started to run for the nearest exit when I was overcome with a sudden piercing pain shooting up the back of my left leg.

            I couldn’t move. The excruciating pain was making it hard to breathe without yelling in anguish.

            The Knave was by my side in an instant, “What happened? Are you alright?”

            I inhaled deeply and tried to remain calm, “ _Does it **look** like I’m bloody **alright**_?!” I growled, gnashing my teeth together to hold in what I REALLY wanted to say.

            “Where does it hurt?”

            “The back of my leg… it feels like it's on fire.”

            I managed to sit up and turn my leg over enough to discover the source of the burning; three long gashes dug into my calf. The cuts looked pretty badly infected, the skin around them was an unhealthy yellowish color, and there were specks of black inside the wound itself, “Where did **_that_** come from?!” I knew precisely where it had come from, but he didn't need to know that.

            Stayne inspected it a little closer, “Looks like a Bandersnatch did that to you. But when have you run into him?”

            “I…I don’t know. Is there any way to fix this?” I had to lie, so he wouldn’t know that I’d been with Alice in the Mushroom Forest.

            He shook his head, “Not unless he licks it, and I highly doubt he’d do that.”

            “It’s worth a shot. Where is he?” I tried to get up and nearly collapsed; Stayne caught me before I hit the ground.

            “Come on. I’ll take you to him, but don’t get your hopes up.” he struggled to get me on my feet. It was then that we both realized…I’d shrunk back to my normal size.

            “Uh-oh…”

            “No time to worry about that now. Let’s go.”

            And with that, he escorted me to the Bandersnatch stable, practically carrying me through the castle.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

             I finally remembered the way to the courtyard where the Bandersnatch was held. Stumbling out the door, I rushed over to the stall and slightly opened the door. I had to step over the prone White Rabbit to get inside. Poor thing…

            The creature saw me come in and he snarled angrily. Even with him missing his eye, he was still horrifying. His razor-sharp teeth ground together and his long fur stood on end, daring me to come any closer.

            “I-I have your eye…” I stammered, holding it out in front of me so he could see it.

            The monster’s disposition changed entirely; his tail slung hay everywhere as it lashed about and it whined like a giant dog. He leaned toward me with his lip poked out in the most pitiful face I’d ever seen on something four times my size. I slowly eased the door all the way open and slipped inside.

            Dropping the eye in front of the Bandersnatch, I snuck behind him to search for the Vorpal Sword supposedly hidden within the stall. He whined again, and raked his eye closer to him with his enormous paw, trying to get a better look at it. He grunted as he shoved the eye back into its proper place; shaking his head and scratching his ear with his claws.

            I was just about to inspect a mysterious box covered by a velvet tarp when the sound of footsteps began approaching. A familiar yet sluggish voice called out to me from the yard outside, “Um…are you in…there?” Allyson could barely speak.

            “Yes, I’ll be right out!” I rose to my feet and tiptoed out of the stall, right past the preoccupied Bandersnatch. I ducked under the door and looked up to see my friend being toted around by none other than that nasty Knave of Hearts, Stayne. She was hardly awake, as he was holding her up by her shoulders, and she had a limp in her right leg, “What happened to you?!”

            My first thought was that **_he’d_** done something to her; but then why would he have helped her? I was still suspicious of him, so I watched him like a hawk while he was carrying my best friend, “Are you going to be alright?” I asked her.

            She only nodded but Stayne replied for her, “She will be, if the Bandersnatch licks the wound he inflicted clean. That’s the only way to heal it correctly.”

            I shot an icy glare at him, “What makes you think I’m going to believe **_you_**? I want to hear it from her.” I snapped. He looked away like I’d scared him or something, nervously glancing at her repeatedly.

            “Um, relax ok? He’s…telling the truth. You need to let…it lick yours too, so it doesn’t…get any worse.” she assured me of his honesty. Allyson blinked, trying to shake off the effects of the poison running through her veins.

            Stepping aside, I let them into the stall, where the creature had already fixed its eye and was sniffing around for my scent. The Bandersnatch started growling again until he caught sight of the Knave, then he was completely silent.

            Stayne and Allyson wriggled into the tight space quite easily, and once she got close enough, she wriggled out of his grasp. He tried to reach for her again, but she swatted his hand away as she crept closer to the ferocious beast. The Knave kept his hand on his sword from that moment on, just in case.

            Allyson, however, extended her hand toward the Bandersnatch, “C’mere boy…c’mon, c’mon!” she was calling him to her like a common puppy dog! She’d lost her marbles!

            “ _What the **devil** are you doing?! Are you **mad**_?!” the Knave hissed. He wasn’t any more comfortable with this than I was obviously.

            She stood up as straight as she could and glowered at him defiantly, “Stayne, I’ve got six dogs, four cats, twenty-eight cousins, six best friends and other assorted family members at home that I have to deal with. I think I can handle the _Bandersnatch_ on my own. **_Chill_**.” she turned back around and continued to coax the beast even closer.

            He shuffled slowly over to the young girl, still rumbling like a thundercloud, teeth bared and eyes narrowed. His nose touched the tips of her fingers inquisitively, figuring out her smell.

            “ _Whuff._ ” he grunted.

            She giggled, gradually reaching up to pat him on the head, “Good boy. Easy…” she stroked his long white fur gently, like one would any other house pet. Allyson then twisted her leg where he could see the wound he’d given her.

            The Bandersnatch whined his gaze filled with remorse; he felt bad about hurting her! Stayne and I were frozen in shock; we couldn’t believe our own eyes! He didn’t dare make eye contact with me though; he looked away with almost the same guilty expression as the animal.

            The bulldog-like critter sniffed the gash, then, just as they’d both said, he licked the blood away and healed the cut almost completely. The only remnant of the injury was a streak of tissue that was darker than the rest of her skin, “ ** _See_**?! Told ya so! Now let him do yours Um!” she remarked smugly, “It doesn’t hurt; it actually tickles a little!”

            I reluctantly brushed past the Knave, causing him to press himself against the wall in order to avoid any contact. The two of them left the stall, but stood outside to watch me; more so her than him. Stayne kept looking over his shoulder, checking for eavesdroppers and spies.

            I held out my arm for the Bandersnatch and he did the same as he’d done for Allyson, drooling all over the three long marks up and down my arm; removing the infection and sealing off the bleeding. Without even a backwards glance, he whirled around and went back to sleep like nothing had happened!

            With all that said and done, we both felt a whole lot better than we had when we’d come out here, “Did you uh, find what you were looking for Um?” Allyson kind of winked at me while the Knave wasn’t paying attention.

            “I think so.” I pointed with my eyes to the rectangular shaped box behind the Bandersnatch. She nodded.

            Out of seemingly nowhere, an ear piercing cry of “ ** _STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYNE_**!!!!” shattered the quiet in the courtyard. The Red Queen was **_clearly_** not very happy with the Knave.

            Allyson grabbed Stayne’s wrist and tugged him towards the door they’d come out of, “Let’s go before you get into any **_more_** trouble. Catch ya later Um!” she managed to drag him back inside, while waving to me.

            I waved back, “See you!” Then I went back to my task of finding the Vorpal Sword. Trying not to wake up the snoozing Bandersnatch, I crept over to the crate enclosed by the tarp and removed the covering.

            Underneath was an elaborately decorated iron case, exactly what one would keep something like a Vorpal Sword in…whatever **_Vorpal_** means…But, of course, on this fancy box was a large, bulky lock, exactly what one would use to keep Vorpal Sword **_stealers_** out.

            Wonderful.

            I tried and tried to break the lock from its hinges on the lid, but it just wouldn’t budge! There was no key in sight, making me fear the worst; the Red Queen might have it. If she did though, why would the Rabbit have sent me here without telling me? It **_must_** be here s ** _omewhere_**! But where!?

            Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

            I looked at the chain around the Bandersnatch’s neck, and the key was hanging on a tiny hook on one of the links. In order to get to the key, however, I was going to have to wake him up…again. Things like this can never be easy, can they?

            “Psst! Bandersnatch!” I whispered loudly. He stirred a little in his sleep but didn’t get up, “Come here boy! Come on! Come on!” I kept trying but nothing worked. Maybe he had a name, or a secret word that he answered to, but what could it be?

            What were some names that would fit him? Hmm… “Killer? Uh, Crusher? Spike? Rex?” he didn’t respond to any of the names I called. Then I remembered that he belonged to the Red Queen, so it was probably something cruel and demeaning, "Tiny? Baby? Squeaky?"

            Oh, it’s no use! The only other thing I could think of was ridiculous, but it was all I had left, “Fluffy?”

            Suddenly, he bolted upright, wagging his tail “ _Whuff_!” he boomed. The Bandersnatch whirled around to face me, his long, pink tongue hanging nearly to the ground, “ _Whuff_!”

            “Fluffy? Your name is **_Fluffy_**?”

            “ _Whuff_!”

            “My goodness what was Iracebeth thinking? **_Was_** she thinking at all?” I asked myself, shaking my head. “Come here. Come here Fluffy. Let me see that pretty collar boy!” I cooed, watching him waddle over to me. He raised his head just enough to where I could clearly see the heart-shaped key dangling from his collar. My hand extended slowly and rubbed the top of his head, my fingers feeling his soft yet prickly fur. It felt like there were tiny needles embedded in his long, dog-like hair.

            Keeping my eyes on him, I gingerly removed the key from its hook and stuck it in the keyhole on the chest. I gave him one last scratch behind the ears before turning the key and lifting the lid on the case.

            The shimmering blade inside could only be one thing; the Vorpal Sword… nothing else could be this magnificently beautiful. It was made of glistening silver with blue gems inside the handle, white stones adorning the weapon itself. I held it up to the dawn’s breaking light and saw carvings etched into it depicting a great battle with a serpentine creature. A female knight was wielding the Vorpal Sword; she had long curly hair and looked vaguely like….me.

            But it **_wasn’t_** me… ** _was_** it? It couldn’t be…could it?

            I did my best to conceal the Sword as I walked out of the Bandersnatch’s pen, giving him a pat on the nose as I passed by. I’d no earthly idea what to expect when I went back inside, I tried to prepare for the worst, but hoped for the best.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      “What was I thinking when I… oh what am I going to do if Iracebeth-”

            “There’s no **_if_** to it Stayne. The Red Queen **_knows_** that you tried to kiss Um; Lady Loose Lips tattled on you.” Allyson snapped. “Why the heck do you think she woke up half of Crims screaming at you?”

            “Well what am I going to do?! I don’t really want to lose my head you know!” I asked, desperate for any kind of plan, “Any _brilliant_ ideas?!”

            “Yeah,” she crossed her arms nonchalantly, smirking deviously, “ ** _Lie_**.”

            “ ** _What_**?!” my jaw nearly hit the floor. Was she serious? **_Lie_** to the Red Queen?!

            “I don’t believe I _mumbled_ , so I know you understood me. I _said_ lie to her.” she retorted, “You’ve been getting away with it pretty well so far. Haven’t got caught recently, have you?” she stood right in my path.

            “What’s that supposed to mean?” I shot back. What did she know? **_How_** did she know?

“You know _exactly_ what I mean, Mr. _I'm-a-spy-for-the-Resistance_! Don’t play dumb with me! I know what you’ve been doing here lately; I saw you talking with the White Rabbit and the Dormouse earlier.” her face was red; her deep brown eyes were narrowed. “Don’t think just because Iracebeth’s too idiotic to see your deceit that I can’t! I might have been born at night, but **_certainly_** wasn’t last night. I’m no fool Stayne.”

            She stormed off ahead of me, grumbling all the way. Then it occurred to me; if she knows, she could turn on me just as quick as Lady Long Ears, “Wait!”

            “What?”

            “You…you’re not going to tell her, a-are you?” I whimpered. I’d definitely be beheaded by tomorrow if she revealed I was still with the rebellion, “Y-you wouldn’t do that to me, would you?”

            Her hard glare softened, but her tone didn’t, “I'm on the same side as you are. You actually think I’d **_betray_** you like that Ilosovic? After you helped me back there? You **_really_** think I’d do that?” she sounded mad and hurt. Hurt that I would think something like that; angry that I didn’t trust her.

            Now that I think about it, it does seem a bit stupid to think that she’d turn me in to the Red Queen, considering that she evidently doesn’t like Iracebeth in any way, shape, form or fashion. Not that she thinks too much better of me, but still, “No…no I don’t.”

            “I didn’t think so.”

            We resumed our trek down the hall to the throne room, “What should I tell her?” I asked as we neared the door.

            She thought about it for a moment, “Tell her Um tried to kiss you. Switch it around. And really ham it up; make it convincing.”

            “So now we’re getting **_Um_** in trouble? What if the Queen tries to kill **_her_**?”

            We stopped before going in, still trying to work out a scheme, “Don’t worry about her; she’s leaving soon anyway. Red won’t have time to catch her before she’s gone.” she shrugged off the hot-tempered monarch like she was nothing to worry about.

            “Are you positive?”

            She nodded. I sure hope she knows what she’s getting into, as I might not be able to get her out of trouble this time, “Alright, let’s go in.” I pushed the double doors open halfheartedly, knowing I was really going to get a tongue-lashing for this.

            “Yes Majesty?” I tried to pull off the I-have-no-clue-what’s-going-on act, but it wasn’t exactly working at the moment.

            “Would you _mind_ explaining something to me **darling**?” the Red Queen barked.

            “What would you like me to explain?” oh brother, here it comes…

            She was silent for a few seconds, and then she exploded with rage, “A very _reliable_ source told me that **_you_** were with Miss Um from Umbradge a few moments ago, engaging in rather **_unspeakable_** acts. Are these allegations _true_ Stayne?! Did you try to **_kiss_** her?!” she spat. “ ** _Did you?!_** ”

            “Of **course** not Majesty! Stayne did no such thing! These accusations are naught but horse feathers! Hogwash! Malarkey!” Allyson, much to my shock, jumped to my defense, “In fact, I was with him when this event occurred. You see, what had happened was-”

            I cut her off mid-sentence, “Um forced herself on me! I-I tried to tell her my heart only belongs to you ‘ ** _Racie_** , but she’s obsessed with me!” as much as I hated pleading and using her nickname from her long-ago childhood, it was the first thing I could come up with on such short notice. I had even gone so far as to throw myself to the floor while “begging for mercy”…wow, sometimes I amaze myself…

            I had a feeling that a certain 14-year old was chewing through her tongue, doing her best not to laugh and give our little rouse away. She cleared her throat once or twice to cover up the giggles; I almost couldn’t help myself. I had to admit my act was a tiny bit cheesy, but Allyson **_did_** say to, and I quote, ‘ham it up’.

            There was a long, tense period of quiet as the Red Queen contemplated whether or not to believe us over that traitorous, good for nothing, shukem-juggling, slunking Lady Long Ears.

Finally, she leapt up out of her throne and shouted at the top of her lungs, “ ** _OFF WITH HER HEAD!!!!_** ”


	15. Chapter 14 - Escape to Marmoreal

I burst in the door of the Red Queen’s dressing room where the Hatter was being held prisoner. The Dormouse was steadily trying to undo the lock around his ankle with her hatpin sword, each time the flimsy pin would become more crooked and bent.

            “Stand back Mallymkun!” I hefted the Vorpal Sword high over my head in victory, swinging it down towards Tarrant’s chain, “How’s **_this_** for **_muchness_**?” I was very much surprised when he snatched his bindings away from the path of the blade.

            “No, no! That Sword mustn’t be used for anything but slaying the Jabberwocky!” the Hatter cried, backing away from the weapon, “If you use it for anything else, or the wrong person uses it to kill the Jabberwocky, it’ll be useless! The Sword will lose its power.”

            “Um!” another voice called from the doorway; the second to last voice that I wanted to hear. Stayne stumbled inside, trying to catch his breath from running; Allyson came in behind him, not even having broken a sweat.

            “You alright there Stayne? You look a little **_tired._** ” she taunted him, clearly she wasn’t the least bit worn out.

            “ _I’m gettin’ too old for this job_ …” he muttered under his breath. For once, I almost felt bad for him. Almost.

            “Um, we need to get you out of here; the Red Queen’s on a rampage for your head.” Allyson started pulling me toward the hall.

            “What?! Why?!” I tried to jerk away from her, but she had a very strong grip.

            “Long story. But we need to get you to the White Queen with the Vorpal Sword so you can give it back to her before _irascible_ in there gets to you.”

            I cast a longing glance toward the Hatter, not wanting to leave him here, “What about you and Tarrant? I won’t abandon you all here!”

            “Don’t worry about us,” we slunk through the corridors back to the stables where the Bandersnatch was, “we’ll be with you later. Right now all you need to be concerned with is that Sword and getting to Marmoreal as quickly as possible.”

            Fluffy, awakened by all the commotion outside, stuck his bulldog head out of the door, “ _Whuff_.” He slowly ambled out and shuffled over; this time he was actually happy to see all of us.

            “Hop on! Hurry, Red Knights are coming out here.” Stayne made an attempt to bolt the door shut to give me time to escape. He braced himself against it and jammed a stray piece of wood inside the handles; it wouldn’t hold long though.

            “You expect me to **_ride_** the **_Bandersnatch_**?”

            “Just get on and go!” the next thing I knew, Allyson had hoisted me onto his back and I was galloping across the drawbridge, scared out of my wits! Holding on for dear life, I was glad to soon learn that I wouldn’t be alone on my journey.

            “Ho, Alice!” Bayard called from the bushes, running up alongside the Bandersnatch.

            I waved him ahead of me, letting him lead the way, “Bayard! To Marmoreal!” and we rode off into the rising sun to the castle of the White Queen.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Stayne and I raced back inside using another door, skidding across the slick floor and nearly knocking down every wall in the place, trying to get to the Red Queen’s throne room before any of the Guards could.

      “What are we going to tell her? We can’t say that we let her go, now can we?” he grumbled. Such noncreative thinking!

      “Naw **_duh_**! Of course we aren’t telling her that! We’ll say she got away from us somehow.” I stated the obvious.

            “Well, what if that doesn’t work?”

            “ _If, if, if, if, if!_ What do you mean _if_ it doesn’t work?! If **_that_** doesn’t work, I don’t think **_anything_** will! You said it yourself,” I couldn’t help but grin, “Um’s a big girl. She could easily have walloped both of us with one hand if she wanted to. No need to worry! Just do like you did earlier; Iracebeth won‘t know any different.” I snickered, his face turning bright red. I don’t think I’ll ever let him forget that episode in the hallway! And I’m sure Alice won’t either.

            He went in first, really putting on a show for the Red Queen; his hair was flying everywhere, he was out of breath ( _again_ ), and he could barely stand up. Too bad Ilosovic didn’t take up acting instead of being a personal assassin; he would’ve been pretty good at it!

“Majesty!” he panted, gasping for air, “Um has **_escaped_**!”

            Iracebeth was furious! She slapped him as hard as she could right in the face; I edged a little closer to them, almost daring her to do it again. The Knave and I weren’t exactly the best of friends or anything, but don’t expect me to let her get away with doing something like that to him in front of me, especially after he helped me and Alice.

            “On…the **_Bandersnatch_**.” he paused dramatically, bracing for another impact. She spun around and smacked him again even harder. She was a hair’s width away from **_me_** knocking the red out of her hair.

            “With…the _Vorpal_ _Sword_.”

            Her hand went up to hit him again, but as soon as she swung, my hand went for my sword and jerked it out of the scabbard. Luckily for her, I struck a jewel on her sleeve that absorbed the blow instead of severing her hand. If the blade had been a centimeter to the right or left, there’d be blood everywhere. Hmmm, looks like that year and a half of karate class paid off after all; my ninja reflexes haven’t rusted a bit!

            Both of them looked petrified; Stayne was sort of smiling though. He was astonished that I did that for him; then again, so was I. I swear that move came out of nowhere; an impulse, I guess you could call it. The whole thing was almost like it was in slow-motion; I could practically see sparks fly when metal clashed with metal. I could feel the reverberations running through the sword, up my arm.

            ‘Racie wasn’t so happy though, she looked more like a deer in headlights, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. With one swift movement, I swatted her arm away with the sword and backed her into the throne. I put my foot on the armrest of the seat and leaned in as close as I could without getting too close, “ ** _Woman…_** _you have been grating on my last nerve since I got here and quite frankly I’m **sick** of it. I swear on the **Vorpal Sword** if you lay your hands on **him** or anyone else in this castle_…excluding Lady Long Ears… _you will sorely regret it.. Is that clear?_ ”

            She didn’t say a word.

            “ ** _I said is that clear?!_** ” I shouted, only inches away from decapitating the infamous monarch. That’d only add injury to insult, as I would technically be stealing her favorite line of _‘Off with his/her head!’_

            “Are you **_threatening_** me?!” she shrieked.

            “No, I’m making you a **_promise_**. And promises are something I **_keep_**. _Got it_?”

            Iracebeth locked eyes with me, a cocky grin set on her pale white face. It was then I felt the sting of her hand on my cheek, the rush of air sent my hair flying out of place. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth from the gash in my lip that she’d caused.

            I **know** this **idiot** did **not** just do what I **think** she just did. She does **NOT** have the audacity, the nerve, the gall, to strike me! I chuckled malevolently and moved my bangs out of my eyes, licking the blood off, “You **really** didn’t want to do that.” I growled in a low tone.

            “I ** _promise_** you I did.” she tried to mimic me.

            That did it. My fuse had blown. **_KABOOM._**

            I couldn’t control myself, swinging wildly I charged toward the quarrelsome queen, ready for an all-out fist-fight. Fortunately for her, Stayne swooped in and wrapped one arm around my waist and one around my shoulders to restrain me before I could get a good hit in. “A-Allyson!” he struggled to hold me back, “ _Not now. Don’t worry, you’ll get your chance._ ” he quietly assured me. I stopped kicking and squirming, letting him drag me out of the room so I wouldn’t do any damage.

            “ ** _Fine_**.” I relaxed so he’d let me go, still glowering at the temperamental tyrant through the doors, “I’m going to bed before I get the urge to choke somebody else.” I rubbed my mouth where she’d hit me, trying to soothe the pain shooting up my jaw line.

            He chuckled, “Do you even know where your room is?”

            “Well…No…”

            “C’mon, I’ll show you.” he put his hand on my shoulder again, steering down another hall. I leaned down to pick up my bag that I’d left there earlier, and then I grudgingly trudged alongside him.

            “You’re welcome Stayne.” I told him in the middle of the seemingly endless walk to our rooms. At first, he was confused, but he soon realized what I was implying. He **_did_** owe me for sticking up for him in there AND getting slapped for it too! **_That_** , on top of the singing I did earlier and whatever else I’m going to end up doing for him before we leave.

            “Thank you.”

            I shrugged, “No problem.” It wasn’t really that big of a deal, I just wanted to hear him say it. And hey, who knows? I might be telling him the same thing at some point or another. You never can tell how things will work out down here…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      The White Castle in Marmoreal was nothing like the Red one in Crims; rather than darkness and oppression, there was light and serenity. It was much more peaceful here, and so much more picturesque.

      The lawn was cut to look like a chess board, neatly and evenly spaced squares went around as far as the eye could see. A large, crystal clear lake cut through it like a diamond dagger, a drawbridge connecting the outer walls of the palace to the pond’s bank. Sunlight poured through enormous stained-glass windows, and the cooling breeze carried the melodies of chirping birds through the halls.

            I was so relieved to finally come face to face with Mirana; the warm-hearted sister of the evil Red Queen. Something about her elegance and kindly manner made me think that this awful nightmare would turn out to be just fine in the end after all, “Welcome to Marmoreal…” she greeted me, rising from her throne.

            “I believe this belongs to you, Majesty.” I handed her the Vorpal Sword. Her vanilla white fingers closed around the Sword’s handle, holding it up in the light. She glided over to the White Knight’s armor standing regally beside her throne, and placed the weapon in the suit’s hand.

            “The Vorpal Sword is home again. The armor is complete! Now all we need…is a champion…” she gave me one of those pointed looks, like she meant for me to be the champion inside that suit on the Frabjous Day.

            I looked away and didn’t say anything. How is it that everyone here seems to think that **_I_** am fit to slay such a horrible beast? I can’t even bring myself to kill the bugs and other creepy-crawlies that find their way into the house back home, much less kill some dragon creature!

            “You know, you’re a little taller than I thought you’d be…” she went on, changing the subject. **_That_** , I could reply to.

            “Blame it on too much Upelkuchen.” I smiled. Although, I did feel slightly smaller than when I’d first eaten the cake in the Red Queen’s garden and shot up above the shrubbery. Allyson had shrunk down to her normal size within a matter of hours; then again, she had eaten less than me…quite a bit less. It might take days or even weeks for me to shrink on my own! I certainly hope her Majesty has some pishsavler, or **_something_** to fix me!

            “Ah! Come with me then.” she gently took my hand and led me to a huge kitchen. Delicious smells filled the air as the sounds of people whistling while they worked echoed all around us. Then, out of the blue, a full cauldron of soup flew towards us and smashed into the door, “Is the March Hare here?” I took a “wild” guess at who was causing the chaos.

            “Aye! You’re late for your soup, ya wee besom!” Thackery bellowed across the room. The crazed hare began mixing another pot of soup, throwing in whatever his hand happened to pick up.

            I ran my finger along the wall, taking a taste of the broth running down the door, “It could use some salt…” I suggested. I saw a saltshaker whiz by my head a few seconds later, crashing into the door behind me.

            I followed Mirana over to the cast-iron stove in the middle of the kitchen where several curious items were lined up on the counter…including a jar of eyeballs and a can of fingers. Bleh! Maybe it’s best that I didn’t watch her make this…

            “Hmm…pishsavler…Let me think.” she pondered the ingredients for the shrinking potion, “A _pinch_ of _worm fat_ , _urine_ of a _horsefly_ … mmm! Buttered fingers!” the White Queen inhaled deeply, then dropped the decaying appendage into her mixing bowl. She reached for her spoon to stir the concoction, her face creasing in thought.

            “My sister preferred to study ‘Dominion Over Living Things’… tell me, how does she seem to you Alice?”

            “Absolutely **_ghastly_**!” I replied candidly.

            “And her…head?” she indicated its massive size with her hands.

            “ ** _Bloated_**!”

            “I think she may have some kind of growth, or tumor in there. Something pressing on her brain…” Mirana theorized.

            “ _Brain? **What** brain?_” I thought to myself.

            She continued making the pishsavler, adding some of the strangest things to the drink, “ _Three_ coins from a dead man’s pocket, _two teaspoons_ of wishful thinking…”

            How could she just mill around calmly, making tonics and discussing hypotheses when her hateful brute of a sibling was tearing Underland apart?! “You can’t imagine the things that go on in her castle!” I blurted out.

            “Oh yes I can…” she assured me, her eyes were sad and distant, like she was remembering the past wrong-doings of her older sister, “But, when a champion steps forth to slay the Jabberwocky…the people will rise against her.” She looked into the pot of boiling liquid, sniffed it, and then **_spit_** into the mix. Ew, “That should do it!” she announced happily.

            Digging around in a drawer, she found a spoon and dipped it into the pot. Offering the drink to me, she cautioned me to blow it before taking a sip, as it was very hot, “Feel better dear?”

            “Much better! Thank you.” I felt my normal self again, well, I felt normal next to the Queen anyway. I wonder how I’d measure up in the real world…if I ever got back there…

            Mirana took my hand again, leading me outside, “There’s someone here that would like to speak with you.”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      We finally reached one of the guest bedrooms in one of the many halls of this place; one could easily get lost in here if they didn’t know their way around like I do.

            Allyson had been completely silent since we’d left the throne room, not a peep had come out of her. She had a fierce glare fixed into her eyes and her jaw was set firmly shut. I’d never seen such a temper on a girl like this…Luna had her fair share of bad humor of course, but nothing quite like this one! I was afraid to say anything to her for fear of getting yelled at.

            “Well, here we are…” I opened the door and let her in, careful not to get in her way. She marched inside and threw her bag onto the bed heatedly.

            “ _Ooh_! I could’ve handled her on my own! I totally could’ve taken her down, no sweat!” she slammed her hand on the writing desk against the wall, “But **_oh no_** … ** _you_** wouldn’t let me!” She scowled at me.

            “You couldn’t have expected me to let you fight her Allyson. You have no clue what she could’ve done to you.” I tried to be stern with her, but her headstrong attitude was counteracting mine.

            “And neither of you have any idea of what **I** could’ve done to **her** Stayne. If I’d been given the chance, I **_might_** have been able to finish her off for good. We could’ve been on our way to Marmoreal right now!”

            I was taken aback, “What do you mean **_we_**? You really think that **_I_** could’ve escaped from here?! Ha! Now I’ve heard it all!” Did she actually believe that there was a way to free me of this place?

            “You don’t think I could get you out of here?!”

            “I don’t think **I** could get **myself** out of here, to be truthful. I’ve tried many times to leave, but as you can see things didn’t quite work out the way I’d hoped.” I replied sarcastically. “How do you think I ended up with a scar like this? I surely didn’t get it by doing nothing.”

            She got quiet a second time, staring out the window into the night sky. Her arms crossed as she leaned against the window pane. I made a bold move, coming inside the room and closing the door behind me. If she’d gotten angry enough, no one could’ve heard a cry for help through the thick oak door if she attacked me.

            “So that’s it? You’re just going to give up and let her push you around until the end?” Allyson’s voice was hardly higher than a whisper now, “You’re not even going to try to save yourself?”

            “I didn’t say that-”

            “ ** _You didn’t have to say it!_** ” she exploded angrily. “I heard you out there talking to the Dormouse and McTwisp. They asked you if you were leaving with us, and you said you didn’t know. You **_doubted_** it. Well now you **_do_** know; you’re coming with us whether Iracebeth likes it or not. No **_doubt_** about it.”

            “You want to bet on that? If I set one foot off that drawbridge without her permission, she’ll have me shot down quicker than you can blink!”

            She drew her sword in a flash, pointing the tip of the weapon at me, “I’m not usually one to gamble with life, but tonight I’m willing to take a chance.” she slid around the bed like a cat, ready to pounce at any moment.

“Now Allyson,” I put my hands up defensively, backing away from her slowly, “I don’t want to fight with you. I do want to get out of here, but it's just not going to happen.”

I didn’t even consider going for my sword…or the door. Like a dimwit, I was inching to the opposite side of the room from my only escape.

            “Well that’s too bad…What’s the matter Stayne? Scared I might come after you?” she goaded me, getting closer and closer with every step, “Tell ya what; how’s about we make this a challenge for **_both_** of us. If **I** win this fight, you come with us tomorrow without an argument… no ifs, ands or buts about it. We’ll ride out of here and be on our merry way.”

            “Ride?”

            “You have a horse don’t you?”

            “Yeah…”

            “Well there you have it!”

            I sighed, knowing that it probably wouldn’t go as smoothly as she wanted it to. Oh well…“And if **I** win?”

            She chuckled, sticking her sword into the floor and propped herself on the end of the handle, “Well, if by some strange occurrence I **_do_** lose, when I leave tomorrow I’ll just tie you to your saddle and **_drag_** you to Marmoreal behind me. You’re **going** either way.”

            “Sounds like **I** lose any way you slice it.” I snapped indignantly.

            “More so one way than the other actually, if you really think about it.” she smirked deviously, pulling her sword out of the wooden floorboards.

            I really didn’t want to do this, but if she wants a brawl, I guess I’ll just have to give her one. Reluctantly, I pulled out my dagger and prepared for her to lunge at any second.

            From the glint in her dark eyes, I could tell that she had all of her moves figured out already. Allyson turned her sword over and over in her hand, not sure of how she wanted to hold it. She was building this tension on purpose, keeping me on edge so that she can catch me off guard.          

            And she did.

            I blinked; for one measly second I wasn’t watching her and the next thing I know her sword is clanging together with mine. She was a fast opponent and very accurate with her blade. She could’ve cut me to ribbons if she’d wanted to; but she continued to dance around, trying to wear me out so she could deal the finishing blow. Oh, but I wasn’t one to give in so easily!

            Allyson swung with all her might, doing her best to take off my arm or some other limb that I would need later on. I was doing good to block her hits, I didn’t even think about going on the offensive. If I’d tried to get a hit in, I would’ve been done for the way she’s fighting! Not even the best soldier in Iracebeth’s army could stand a chance against her, and she’s half their size and has no armor!

Now I was pushed up against the wall, my sword lying on the floor, hers across my throat. She was standing in a chair, the back of the seat squeezing the air right out of me. I couldn’t move; I could barely breathe.

            “Ok! Ok! I give up! Easy, easy!” I cried out, trying to push her off of me. She didn’t budge an inch.

            “ _Stayne,_ ” I looked up to face the little girl holding me hostage; her eyes were watering, her lip was starting to quiver, “ ** _Ilosovic_** _, I don’t **want** to fight you. I don’t want to **hurt** you._” She swallowed hard, blinking back the tears forming, “ _But you’re not giving me a **choice**. Stop **fighting** me. Come with me… **please.**_ ” she pleaded.

            “I-I can’t…”

            “ ** _Yes_** you **_can_**.” her voice was no longer cracking with emotion; the anger was beginning to seep back in and drive out everything else, “Don’t argue with me…you’re not gonna win. Trust me.” she pressed down on the sword even harder on my neck. “Now for once, will you quit being so hard-headed and **_listen_** to me?! I’ve got a plan, but it won’t work unless you **_cooperate_**.” Allyson leapt off the chair and finally released me from her grip, “Can you at **_least_** do that?”

            I regained my breath and stepped away from the wall, trying to straighten myself out, “I don’t know.” I adjusted my gloves and picked my sword up off the ground, “That depends on what your strategy is.”

            Another mischievous grin spread across her face, “How about starting trouble to get out of trouble, eh?” she snickered.

            “You **_cannot_** be serious…”

            “Hey,” she sat on the edge of the mattress, sliding her sword back into its holster, “it worked just fine last time, didn’t it?”

            She was right, but I wasn’t so sure about this…“So, what’s the scheme now?”


	16. Chapter 15 - Never Surrender

The White Queen ushered me out of the castle and into the topiary garden, flowers and animal-shaped bushes were everywhere. It was quite lovely really.

            Even in the peace of this place, I was edgy and anxious. As odd as it sounds, I wished I was back at the Red Queen’s palace, just so I could know what was going on with Allyson and the Hatter. Were they alright? Could they escape? What did he think of me leaving the two of them behind to face the wrath of Iracebeth?

            My heart sunk with guilt as we strolled through the hedges and fountains; I missed them so much. If only they could be here with me…especially him…I barely knew him, but I felt like we’d been close friends forever; possibly even more at some point.

            Just ahead of us, shining in the moonbeams, was a colossal topiary mushroom. An indicative cloud of blue smoke rose up from the leaves on top.

            “Absolem?” I asked, not even really needing to. I knew who it was almost immediately.

            He peered up at me from his hookah, his tiny blue eyes studying me closely, “Who are you?” he inquired, blowing a plume of smoke in my direction.

            I would’ve laughed, had I not been in such a foul mood, “I thought we’d settled this? I’m Alice, but I’m not the **_right_** Alice.”

            “How do you know you aren’t the Alice we’re looking for?” he questioned me again, puffing more smoke into the air. I coughed and swatted it away; I **_do_** wish he’d knock that off! It’s getting rather irritating…

            “You said it yourself! You told McTwisp that I **wasn’t** Alice.”

            “I said that you’re Not ** _Hardly_** Alice.” he rephrased what I’d said, “But you’re more her now…actually, you’re **_Almost_** Alice.” he was vague with his answer; so typical of him! What was all **_that_** mess supposed to mean?

            “Even so, I couldn’t slay that Jabberwocky thing! Not even if my life was at stake!” I admitted. I was no killer or warrior; how could I realistically believe that I could defeat something as fearsome and powerful single-handedly?! There was no way!

            “It **_will_** be at stake, Alice.” He warned me gravely. Absolem took a long puff from his hookah once more, then he added on to his word of caution, “But…you will not be alone in your battle. Allyson, she will help you. She has been well-trained to make ready for this Day…”

            I was in shock; did he mean to tell me that she was going to fight alongside me against that horrid beast? But there was only one Vorpal Sword, and I had it. What was she going to fight with? “How? Does she know?” I asked, hoping there was no insane, ludicrous plan brewing here that would put one or both of our lives at risk.

            “All in good time… ** _Almost_** Alice…”

            I sighed; asking point-blank questions with him was like talking to a rock…completely useless, “You seem so **_real_** … I keep forgetting this is all a dream…” He blew smoke in my face again, as if that was all he knew how to use as a response. I coughed and waved it away, “Would you stop it!?”

            Absolem didn’t reply with words, he only chuckled as the smoke enveloped him, causing him to disappear from sight altogether. He didn’t offer much condolence about the upcoming Frabjous Day, so I turned on my heels and sauntered back inside, entirely too nervous and jittery to sleep. All this madness enough to drive me bonkers! If only Hatter was here with me…and Allyson too…

            If only this **_nightmare_** would **_end_** …

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      The Knave probably thought I was nuts right now; even I have to confess… ** _I_** think I’m nuts at the moment. This scheme is absolutely off the wall, but I know it’ll work, as long as things work out like they did in the movie… hopefully they will.

            “You think she’ll listen to me after that little incident earlier?” I slung my backpack over my shoulder, adjusting the straps on both sides. “Or maybe you’d better tell her instead. She seems to like you better anyway.” I glanced up at Stayne, still shaking his head at my crazy plan.  

            “I suppose I’ll tell her. I don’t really want you two trying to throw down in there again.” he glowered down at me as we traipsed down the hall to see the Queen a second time.

            “In my own defense; she started it! If she swings at me one more time, I’m gonna knock her upside the head.”

            “You’re going to _what_?”

            “You know what I mean…” I reached for my sword. Stayne sidestepped farther away from me, keeping his distance from the business end of the weapon. I couldn’t help but laugh, “I’m not going to hit **_you_**! I’m just gonna take out those Guards over there.”

            Eyeing the 3 Card, I waited for him to turn and look away before going in for the stun. I lifted the hilt of the dagger until it hurt to stretch any father, and then brought it down on the unsuspecting sentry. He hit the floor like a sack of rocks… **_BOOM_**! His fellow solider didn’t know what was going on until I’d popped him too. A pair of shackles fell from the 8’s belt loop, clattering to the floor. “Hmm…” I grabbed the handcuffs and locked them together, so that they couldn’t come after us when they recover their consciousness.

            “See? Easy as cake.” twirling the sword in my hand, I shoved it back in the sheath and went on with what I’d been doing.

            Stayne walked over to the Guards and nudged one of them with the toe of his boot, “They…they aren’t **_dead_** , are they?” he shivered, kicking the other one apprehensively.

            I shook my head, “No. It wasn’t a lethal blow. I took a year and a half of martial arts, so I know where some pressure points are.” I reassured him that the thump to the head wasn’t going to take out the hulking Cards that were passed out cold on the floor, “They’re just taking a little nap is all. No real harm done.”

            “ _Right…_ ” he still didn’t believe me obviously, “Whatever you say…” The Knave nervously shuffled ahead of me, still looking back at the fallen knights. Hehehe… Stayne should’ve been watching me instead.

            I couldn’t resist this classic prank, even though several lives -including ours- were in jeopardy if this didn’t go smoothly. Oh well! Carefully, I tiptoed behind the Knave, trying not to giggle and ruin the joke. I crept up to the nearest suit of armor and slammed the metal end of the handle into the chest plate.

            I’d never seen somebody jump that high before in my life!

            “What in the-?! What was that for?!” he yelped.

            I was too busy doubling over in hysterics to answer him, “Oh my gosh,” I was cracking up, “You should’ve seen your face! It was **_priceless_**!” my stomach ached from laughing so hard and I had tears in my eyes. He clearly wasn’t the least bit amused, but he didn’t seem too mad either.

            “Ugh…Come on. We need to get going if we’re going to catch her before she goes to bed.” he grumbled as I managed to regain my composure and balance, “I really don’t want to have to wake her up. She’s not exactly bright and cheery when her sleep is interrupted.”

            I scoffed, “When **_is_** she _bright and cheery_?”

            “Good point…”

            We were slowly approaching the monarch’s bedroom door, neither of us wanted to go in first. It sure as heck wasn’t going to be me leading the way! Stayne evidently didn’t want me going in before him either, I guess to prevent me and the Queen from getting into it twice in twenty-four hours. He held me at bay behind him, keeping me mostly concealed by his long flowing cape, until we were completely inside her room with the door still slightly ajar. If we needed to make an escape, at least we’d have some kind of a head start over her.

            I just hope that Ilosovic’s third performance wouldn’t end with us in the dungeon with the Hatter and Mally….or at the mercy of the guillotine’s blade….

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      This kid has gone off the deep end! She’s **_madder_** than the Hatter! Allyson actually thought that getting Tarrant and Mally in a crazy bunch of trouble is going to make getting them out of here much, much easier. She’s out of her mind! Pulling a stunt like this is only going to make things worse; but she’s a stubborn little rascal. She insists that she knows what she’s doing…I’m not as confident in this plan as she is, however.

            Allyson hid herself near the door, so that she wasn’t tempted to start any kind of fisticuff with Iracebeth. I kept turning around to check her, making sure she wasn’t trying to sneak by me and do anything ill-advised. She looked back at me, somewhat impatiently, urging me to hurry up. From the looks of it, she must have been tired from all the drama and such from today. I can’t really blame her; I was getting a bit sleepy myself.

            “Majesty?”

            The Red Queen was happily surprised to see me come in unannounced, “Ilosovic, dearest! What brings you here, hmm?” she seemed to have forgotten completely the ruckus earlier with Um and the latter with Allyson. She always **_did_** have the memory span of a goldfish though…very absentminded.

            “Uh, well… Allyson gave me some very valuable information…”

            “Oh.” she frowned at the girl lounging around by the exit. Maybe she hadn’t forgotten after all…

            “It’s about **_Alice_**.” I added. Her face lit up like a candle’s flame.

            “What do you know about Alice?” Iracebeth totally ignored me and whirled to speak to her adolescent enemy.

            Shockingly, Allyson replied without needing any kind of attitude adjustment; she was calm and didn’t lose her temper, “I know that two of her co-conspirators, the Hatter and a Dormouse, are here in this castle. Stayne and I have come for your consent to arrest them and to you to decide what their sentence will be.” she sounded so official, like she’d practiced this speech a hundred times in her head before we got here. Perhaps she did; who knows what kind of things go on in that mind of hers day in and day out?

            Iracebeth was speechless. Two traitors, in **_her_** castle? This was absolutely unacceptable! “Why, of course you **_both_** have the authority to arrest them for high treason!” she proclaimed.

            “And,” I recalled the rest of story I was supposed to tell the Queen, “we also have reason to believe that they had a hand in Um’s escape.”

            That did it…now she was seething, steaming mad! She was about to blow; I could just feel it. The Red Queen’s face was scarlet with rage as she flew way off the handle, “ ** _OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!!!_** ”

            Allyson and I exchanged a worried glance, “Right now?” she inquired. An execution at the present time would turn the whole plan on its head; we need to stall it until morning.

            “No…lock them in the dungeon for the night. Their heads come off at sunrise.”

            We breathed a half-way sigh of relief, knowing that we had until dawn to get this show on the road. Now it was time for phase two of this zany plot… “arrest” the Hatter and Dormouse…

            Phase three comes tomorrow morning.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      For the **third** time, I rushed into the small room where Tarrant was locked away. The Hatter was gazing musingly out the window, watching the horizon for the slow-coming daybreak, “Allyson, what brings the two of you here at this hour of the night?” he asked, not even looking away from the view outside. The Dormouse was seated next to him on the sill, swinging her leg over the side.

            “No time to explain. Iracebeth has ordered yours and Mally’s execution tomorrow at day break. We need to get you to the dungeon before she decides to send Guards down here to get you.” I tugged at his arm, hoping he’d come along. But he didn’t move an inch, staying rooted in the same spot.

            “Hold on just a minute! What do you mean?! Aren’t you going to help us get out of here? I thought you were on our side!” Mally exclaimed indignantly.

            “Yeah, all of us are leaving together.” I cast a meaningful glance at the Knave looming in the doorway, “ ** _All_** of us.” I repeated. He looked away; he’d gotten the point. I still hadn’t given up on stealing him from the Red Queen…no way. I most definitely **wasn’t** a quitter.

            “And just **_how_** do you propose you’re going to get all four of us, plus the White Rabbit and Tweedles out of here all at once?” she shot back.

            “There’s going to be an unexpected arrival down in the dungeon tonight. He’ll handle Tarrant’s escape; you and the others will have to run during the commotion I’m going to stir up tomorrow at the execution. **_We_** ’ll be right behind you.” Stayne gave me one of those warning looks that you give somebody when they’re about to push the wrong button.

             “Are you positive your plan is going to work?” the Hatter was skeptical, like everyone else seemed to be at the moment. Why must everybody doubt my genius?!

    “I’ve seen something like this done before. Went off without a hitch. No problems.” I was trying to give surety to all of them, but I’m not so positive that they had a whole lot of faith in me. Just let them wait and see…

            The Hatter paused to contemplate what to do, “Hmm…”

            Loud clattering of metal and the sound of Guards yelling at each other startled all four of us. Stayne spun around; he was terrified that they might catch us in here with the soon-to-be prisoners, “Hatter! Come on, we don’t have this kind of time! If you’re going we need to get you down there **_now_**!” he urged him to make a decision fast.

            “……..”

            “ ** _HATTER_**!” we all shouted at once. It would’ve been comical if we weren’t in such dire straights.

            “Oh yes, yes! Fine, let’s go then.” he actually pulled me to the jail cells below the rest of the castle instead of vice versa. The Knave carried the Dormouse in the palm of his hand close at my heels as we tried to avoid being seen by the Cards patrolling the hall.

            As far as I was concerned, everything else was going pretty smoothly with the plan. These two were headed to the dungeon where Chessur was sure to be later tonight, asking for Tarrant’s hat and eventually saving his rear-end. Bayard’s wife and four puppies were going to be freed tomorrow as well; amongst the mass confusion of everybody trying to leave at once with the Jubjub bird swooping down on them; I’m sending the Knave to unlock their cell. Meanwhile, I’ll run into the stable to find Ilosovic’s brute of a horse ( _unless of course he’s got one that I don’t need a stepladder to get on_ ). Then, I burst from the stall, snatch up Stayne, and get the heck outta there! Then it’s off to see Mirana and Alice!

            Yeah, that’s how it’s supposed to work. Not making any guarantees though…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      About half an hour later, our allies were locked safely away and we were standing around in my room again. My frienemy, Stayne, was leaning against the window pane, watching the stars fade and the moon set as the sun was creeping into the sky. I myself was little by little dozing off on the giant bed, my MP3 player headphones draped around my neck blaring Evanescence. A whole night of conniving tomfoolery sure did wear me out!

            I struggled to keep my eyes open; the melodies of “ _Before the Dawn_ ” were lulling me to sleep, “Stayne?” I managed to yawn, “Why don’t you want to go with us tomorrow?” I rolled over to look at him.

            At first he didn’t answer, paying attention only to the morning lights rising over the hills. Ilosovic sighed heavily, running his fingers through his long, dark hair, “It’s not like that exactly…”

            “What **_is_** it exactly then?”

            He hesitated before going on, “Well, I **_do_** want to leave; don’t get me wrong. I’d give anything to get away from this awful place. But…”

            “ _But_?”

            “I don’t want to risk Iracebeth following us. And I know she will.”

            I turned the music off and put the player back into the pocket on my bag, “You don’t know that. She might not even see us because of all the other people running out.” I objected.

            Now he was looking me right in the eye, and he actually kind of chuckled, “Allyson, the two of us on top of that horse is going to be hard to miss you know.”

            “Nah!”

            “Yeah…have you seen that behemoth? She’d see us over everything.”

            I sat up wide awake, sensing another argument coming on, “What is up with you?” I exclaimed huffily, “You **_say_** you want to run off with us one minute, and then the next you **_act_** like it would cause an apocalyptic explosion if you did! Are you going to or not?!”

            “Now look, Allyson, things aren’t as simple as you’re trying to make them out to be.” he dodged the question.

            That really got me riled up when he tried to play the “things are much more complicated than they look” game. He was just trying to chicken out like a spineless sissy. Well **I** wasn’t having any of it! “And they’re not as difficult as **you’re** being! Ya know, just because you couldn’t escape all those other times that you tried doesn’t mean that this time will end the same way! Things change Stayne. They change a lot.” I slid off the bed and stood on the other side of the mirrored vanity, arms crossed and scowl fixed on my face, “It’s pretty funny, ‘cause I thought **_you_** were going to change for the better…but it looks like the one thing my world and yours have in common is people don’t do that anymore. Especially the ones you _want_ to…”

            Stayne just sat there and looked at me; no real expression was clear. He almost looked kind of sad and guilty, but I couldn’t really tell; I was too irate to notice anything but my anger. “Allyson…”

            “ _Nope_! I don’t even want to talk about it anymore! I give! You don’t wanna go? **Fine**!” it all came pouring out like a river, my hot temper having gotten the best of me, “But **_don’t_** come cryin’ to me when that decision comes back to bite you. I’ll just say I told you so, and you wouldn’t listen. It will be your fault, not mine.” Turning away before he could come back with any kind of remark, I put my back to him and stormed out into the hall. I gazed out the window on my side of the door. As if my eyes had minds of their own, tears began to stream out and run down my face. I didn’t bother to wipe them away; I just didn’t care anymore.

            “ ** _Oh_**! I see… so what, are you trying to be my **_friend_** now and save me from Iracebeth out of the ** _kindness_** of your heart?! Is **_that_** what it is?!” he snapped through the door.

            I spun around, still shedding tears, “Do I have to be your **_friend_** to want to **_help_** you?! Of all the ungrateful…I just can‘t believe you! **_Honestly_**!” My cheeks were soaked now, my eyeliner was mixing with the water and streaking my face charcoal black. I waited for his reply, but he refused to say anything back. I turned back around and propped myself up on the cold brick wall.

            I could’ve cried myself to sleep, had I not been standing up and had the sun not been rising. Other things were more important right now. Like the upcoming execution later this morning, for example. I had to get ready to leave.

      - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      “ _Blast it all Ilosovic! What is the matter with you?! How can you be so idiotic?!_ ” I was really beating myself over the head for being such a moron. “ _This girl **is** trying to be your friend (as crazy as **that** seems), and she **is** trying to save you for your own good. She’s been holding out for you almost since she got here; hasn’t given up on you yet!_” that’s when it finally occurred to me. Why it hadn’t caught my attention before now, I have no idea…

            She’s just like Luna.

            Allyson hasn’t thrown in the towel in her fight **_with_** me so far. Luna never did throw in hers in her battle **_for_** me. They both stood by me, no matter what I did or said. They never surrendered…even though I had many years ago.

            Maybe, just maybe though, I still had some chance to still make it out of these walls for good. Alive.

            I walked to the door and cracked it open, hoping she’d accept an apology and still be willing to help me. My dark reflection in the mirror drew me away, however, my gaze fixed intensely on what I’d become over time. Cold, heartless, bloodthirsty killer; those things all came to mind when I saw myself for the first time in quite a while. That’s what I was now, not what I used to be…what I wanted to be.

            And most definitely **_NOT_** what Luna would’ve wanted me to be.

            Not even she could’ve loved me this way, and her love seemed to know no bounds. She cared about everybody and everything…but this? Not this. Never. Her heart wasn’t big enough for a murderer, a criminal, someone as evil as I’d turned out to be.

            I glared myself down in the mirror, ashamed of what was looking back at me. He was hopeless, a sorry coward, a lost cause. He wasn’t worthy to be the White Knight’s son…he wasn’t worthy to be anyone’s son. He didn’t deserve to someday be the Knight of Hearts…if he lived past tomorrow.

            But he wasn’t really me. He was who everyone thinks I am. He will be no more after this day. The real, true me is going to return, if it’s the last thing I do in this life. It probably will be…if the Red Queen has any say in the matter.

            In an effort to end the control of this villain over me, I decided that this looking-glass would be the final resting place of **_Iracebeth’s_** Stayne. As if it were thinking on its own accord, my hand curled into a fist and hurtled into the middle of the mirror. All the glass shattered like thin ice, flying in every direction all around me. The sound of the crash was like tiny bells ringing, loud enough to startle me and Allyson, who instantly threw the door open to see what all the noise was.

            She gasped in shock, frozen in horror at the blood seeping through the shredded glove on my hand. Any cuts already present were sliced open even further by the shards of glass jammed into my skin; the pain was almost too agonizing to bear. I clutched my hand to my stomach, trying to cut off any more bleeding and temporarily dull the throbbing soreness. Staggering over to my original seat was entirely out of the question, falling to the floor beside the night table was the best I could handle at the moment. My head hung low, I swallowed hard trying to choke back the screams and howls that wanted to explode from me.

            Allyson shook off her fright and peered over the countertop, pushing glass off the surface to put her hands down, “Stayne?! Are you ok?! What happened?!” she was scared to come any closer.

            “I-I don’t know….I just… _ah_! Ow…” the fragments of glass dug even deeper. Oh why did I do something so dumb? I’d hurt myself more than I’d helped…literally.

            She tiptoed over the broken mirror, kneeling down beside me, “Let me see it…” she held out her hand, shaking nervously. I let her gently pull the glove off and wipe the blood away, “Gah, what in the world was that all about?” she plucked out some of the pieces of glass. Much to my amazement, she was laughing at me nervously. I never would’ve thought in a million years that she’d be that quick to get back into a good mood after that little spat earlier. She’d wiped the tears away so she could see the wound better.

            “I’m…I’m sorry about earlier.”

            “It’s ok. I'm used to this kind of fighting. I know some twin girls like the Tweedles; they're in a band with me and some of our other friends.” Allyson rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out.

            I gazed up at her, “They argue a lot?”

            She shook her head, still grinning, “Yeah, they try to pick fights with all of us sometimes, but they're so silly I don't let it get to me.” she snorted triumphantly. “I’m just unyielding and willful like that. You probably already figured that much out though.” she winked.

            “Yep. Ow!” I winced as she pulled out the last bit and threw it onto the floor with the others.

            “Sorry. Hold on just a second, I might have some bandages in my bag somewhere.” she sat down on the bed and dug around until she found a roll of gauze and some medical tape. “Aha! Got it!” She slipped off the sheets and nimbly dodged the chaos scattered everywhere. Allyson took my hand again and began to wrap the cloth around the injuries, “You really should warn me before you do stuff like that. You almost scared me to death!” she scolded me while winding the material around and around the palm of my hand.

            “I do apologize for that. I wasn’t really expecting it either…it was spur of the moment.” After applying the last of the tape, she gripped my other hand and helped me to my feet. Flexing my hand was somewhat painful, but it wasn’t too bad.

            “Wow…” she put her hands on her hips and shook her head, “Interesting _spur of the moment_ thing, huh?” she snickered. We surveyed the mess of the mirror scattered all around the floor and under the bed, “Think anybody’s going to notice it?’

            “Probably not…as long as no one comes in here.” I shrugged.

            “Hmm…you’re probably right.” she nodded in agreement. She zipped up her bag and started for the door, “You comin’? I’m going to make sure my plan is working.”

            “You’re going into the dungeon?”

            “Yeah. And I just might make another stop on the way to the courtyard…I really think you’ll wanna be there.” Allyson had one of those obviously-up-to-something looks on her face as she cracked open the door and slithered out into the hall. I knew I had to follow her, lest she get into something over her head… ** _again_**.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            Stayne ambled out the door behind me, easing it shut and struggling to keep the pace. “Do you even remember how to get there?” he panted, catching up to me. As my answer, I fell back a little and let him lead the way so he could take a break, “Didn’t think so.” he chuckled.

            We loped through the winding corridors, up and down stairs, in and out doors, and everywhere else you could think of and finally came to the steel entranceway to the cells. “Wait, where are all the guards?”

            The Knave pulled out a skeleton key and unlocked the massive door, “They’re all training for the Frabjous Day outside, none of them are on their regular posts.”

            Whew! That puts my mind at ease somewhat, knowing that we more than likely won’t get caught in here. The room was cold and dark, and I could barely see two inches in front of me. There were a few beams of sunlight coming through the cracks in the barred windows and walls…two of them fell onto the Hatter, slumped in the middle of the cage with his hat sitting next to him…and another Hatter sitting next to the hat.

            Wait…huh?

            I did a double-take, blinked and shook my head; was I seeing things? “Tarrant?”

            One of them looked up, his lime green eyes standing out against the gloomy backdrop of the prison, “Hello Allyson!” he grinned, the gap in his two front teeth clearly visible.

            “Uh…” Stayne looked from one Hightopp to the other, thoroughly confused, “Who’s your friend there…?” he squinted at the mysterious doppelganger of the Mad Hatter. Did he have a twin brother he didn’t know about or something?

            “Who? Me?” an eerily familiar voice cooed from the other side of the hat. It could only be one Underlander I know of.

            Chessur smiled his world-famous smile, showing every tooth in his head. His aquamarine irises filled every space in his eyes, which made him look even stranger than the real Hatter…or anyone else for that matter ( _Red Queen excluded_ ).

            “But…? How…? Did you know about…? What?!” poor Ilosovic rubbed his temple, trying to figure out what in the name of all that’s good and sane was going on. “If you’re the **_real_** Hatter…what’s **_he_** doing here?”

            “He’s going to take my place at the execution, but he’s going to-”

            “Shh! Don’t ruin the surprise!” I prevented him from telling the rest of the plan. I wanted the Knave to be in total shock when he sees what we’re up to! “You’ve just got to see it to believe it… and you might not even believe it then!”

            He just scratched his head and shrugged, “Alright, whatever you say…you seem to know what’s transpiring around here better than I do, so I’m just going to follow your lead for awhile.” he had a kind of crooked smirk, not really even a authentic smile.

            I looked up at Mally; sound asleep in a birdcage hanging from the low ceiling, “Does she know?”

            Both “Hatters” shook their heads simultaneously.

            “Should I tell her?”

            They shook their heads again.

            I glanced at the actual loopy milliner, starting to catch onto his tactics; mostly the element of surprise, “So, are you going to hide or something when the Guards come to get you?”

            “Yes actually, in the back of the cell where the shadows are the darkest. They’ll never be able to tell the difference as long as Chess doesn’t make eye contact.” Tarrant confirmed my assumption, “You’re letting him wear your hat?” I was shocked. He must be very confident that the Cat can get out of this without messing up his precious hat or losing it.

            “As wild as that sounds…yes.”

            “ ** _Wow_** …”

            “That’s a first for you.” Stayne crossed his arms and leaned on the wall, “I’m amazed Tarrant.” he sounded the part.

            Hatter stood up from his seated position and stuck his head through the bars on the door, “Yes, yes…something apart from the usual eh, ‘Losovic?” Now **_that_** completely blew me out of the water! The Knave and Hatter called each other by their **_first_** names in a rather **_friendly_** tone…hmm…that’s odd. I knew there must be more to this exchange than what could be plainly seen, but we didn’t have time to delve into every juicy little detail right now. I could do that later!

            “Ok, we need to get ready to go. Come on, I’ve gotta get my stuff together; you need to get anything Stayne?” I tugged on his arm, pulling him out of the dungeon.

            “Yeah, just a few things…” he seemed like he was off in his own little world, “I’ll meet you in the courtyard then.”

            “Alright. I won’t take too long. See ya there.” and with that, I jogged off in the opposite direction.


	17. Chapter 16 - To Freedom We Ride!

It was nearly an hour later that the Queen finally called everyone together for the execution, but Allyson had only taken five minutes to get herself together and meet up with me in the hallway, “You were right about not taking long. Are you usually this fast?” I was utterly amazed at the speed that she’d been ready; then again, she didn’t have much to pack.

            “Well…that would depend on the situation. If I’m in a good mood, I’ll be ready to go quicker than you can blink, but if I don’t feel like going anywhere, you’re going to have to wait. You sure you got everything?” she eyed my empty hands skeptically.

            “Yes I’m sure. I’m not taking much of anything to remind me of this awful place.”

            “Oh, ok.”

            I started down the corridor to the exit when I realized she wasn’t following me, “Everything alright?”

            She nodded, “Is that the kitchen? Something smells really good and it’s coming from behind that door.” she pointed at the swinging wooden door.

            There was a sweet berry scent wafting out of the crack in it, but I wasn’t sure what the cook was preparing, “Yeah…why do you ask?”

            “Just curious is all…” Allyson jumped and stood on the tips of her toes trying to see what they were doing in there that was so mouthwatering, “Urgh….” she grunted in frustration. The poor thing was too short to get a good look; but I’m not.

            She squealed in surprise when I picked up her from the ground to where the small window in the door was, “Thanks for the lift!” she cupped her hands around her eyes and peered inside, “Ooh!” she giggled mischievously.

            “What? What is it?”

            Her hair almost went in my eye and mouth when she spun around, a wily grin stretched across her lips, “You hungry?”

            She was clearly up to something, I could tell by the smug glint in her eyes, “A little…” Hunger **_had_** been slowly creeping up on me in the past hour or so…but this just didn’t seem right.

            “Well…they’re making **_tarts_** in there.”

            “You can’t be serious…”

            Her eyebrow shot up and she snickered, “You dare me to?” I put her back on the ground.

            “Dare you to what?” I was rather confused; what was she talking about?

            “You know…” she nodded at the door, a cocky smirk forming quickly.

            I was shocked, she couldn’t mean… “Y-you wouldn’t!” I challenged her nerve; probably not the smartest thing to do.

            Allyson glared at me incredulously, her hands on her hips, “You bet your fancy boots I **_will_**! You just watch me!” and with that, she dropped her bag and marched her happy little self in the kitchen without hesitation. There was a bit of yelling at first, proceeded by a bone-crunching crack and a loud thud. No more than two minutes later, she skipped out the door with the **_entire_** platter of pastries in hand, “Chyeah, I just **_did_**.”

            All I could do was stare at her in disbelief; she’d actually done what I was accused of doing when I was younger than her! She just **_stole the Red Queen’s tarts_**!!!!

            “Told you I would.” she popped one into her mouth, licking the jam off her lip, “Want one?” she held out one of the coveted mini-pies.

            Too dumbfounded to speak, I just nodded and took the little cake. It’s been quite a while since I’ve had a tart; I’ve almost forgotten how wonderful they taste fresh out of the oven.

            She must’ve agreed, “Wow! These are great! What’s in them?”

            “Uh, Sqimberries I think…that’s what it looks like.” it was hard to tell what the filling was inside the tartlets. It was too red and mushy to make out the details of the fruit.

            “Mmm… I’ll have to ask Trevor if he’s got some of these back home! But in the meantime…” she pulled out a small box and stuffed all the others into it, “I’ll save those for later!”

            And with that little episode behind us, we dashed off down the hall and outside into the courtyard, Allyson still giggling about our pilfered pastries.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            Almost no one was there when we exited the castle; we decided to go over her plan once more while we were alone, “So you know what to do? When I run to the stables, you head for the dungeon and get everybody out of there; got it?”

            “Got it.”

            “Good.” Allyson abruptly crossed her arms and glowered up at one of the balconies.

            Iracebeth was here, along with her little mob of courtiers.

            Allyson scoffed and shifted her weight to her left leg huffily, “ _Queen indeed_.” she snorted, “ _Some Queen she is._ ” she furrowed her eyebrows, blowing some hair out of her face.

            Kids are so cute when they’re angry!

            All the other inhabitants of the castle were gathered around the beheading block, waiting for the “Hatter” to walk out in chains, and the Dormouse too. The executioner stood ready, sharpening his ax to pass the time; several Guards waited by the door for the signal to fetch the prisoners.

            The Red Queen seemed distant and indifferent, as usual; beheadings didn’t affect her that much anymore…not since she killed the King anyway, “I love a morning execution, don’t you?” she inquired of her company on the balcony.

            “Yes your majesty.” they replied in unison, like a bunch of mindless cowards, afraid to say what they truly meant. Every last one of them was fighting back the urge to flee from this place without looking back, just like what I was about to do. Giving the signal to bring out the condemned, Iracebeth waved her scepter at me, and I flagged the soldiers with one of my gloves. I had to be careful of which glove I took off, lest someone see the bandages wrapped around my hand. Allyson was sure to remind me of this by clearing her throat and glancing repeatedly at the wounded fingers, “ _Watch it…_ ” she snapped under her breath.

            Two of the Cards lead out the “Hatter” and Mally, their heads hung low to hide their faces from the crowd. She did if out of shame and fear, he did it to cover his crafty treachery, “ _I hope Chessur knows what he’s doing…_ ” I whispered to Allyson as she watched unshaken, not the least bit bothered by the gruesome scene about to unfold, should things go awry… hopefully they won’t.

      “Isn’t he **_the_** Cheshire Cat? Of course he knows what he’s doing.” she reassured me, or tried to at least.

            “Ok…whatever you say.”

            “Tarrant” swiftly pushed the Dormouse behind him with his foot, bravely offering to go ahead of her. She didn’t know what was really happening, so at first she ran back to the front, but then he moved her again. He shook his head, telling her that everything would be fine, just to close her eyes and it’d all be over soon. Poor Mally, she was so heartbroken that she started to cry, clinging desperately to the end of his pants. The “Hatter” stroked her head, turning back to face the killer’s blade.

            Mally looked away, her eyes covered by her shackled hands, “I can’t watch…” she groaned. The White Rabbit, the Tweedles, everybody with the Resistance shuddered and averted their eyes from the oncoming slaying of thei… **_our_** leader. Bearing to watch it myself was almost impossible; we’d been the best of friends since we were children… both the real Hatter and Chess were very close with me. If something goes wrong here, I’d still be losing someone that I couldn’t get back…and I’m almost positive that Alice wouldn’t be too happy about that either.

            Allyson’s inner actress decided to come out, I suppose it was to make a big performance out of our exit…but she started to “cry” and buried her head in my arm. She wasn’t actually weeping; she sounded more like she was laughing. Her deep brown irises traveled up the red and black-striped sleeve of my uniform and locked with mine, hers clearly glittering with impishness despite the crocodile tears, “ _Come on man, play along…_ ” she nearly couldn’t talk without giving up her act.

            “Alright, alright.” not knowing what else to do, I pretended to “comfort” her, putting my arm around her shoulders and practically shoving her under my cape accidentally.

            “Hey! I can’t see!”

            “Oh! Sorry!” I pulled her out again so that she could watch. She was the ringleader in this circus -one that was short a few clowns I might add- and she needed to know when to make her mad dash for the stables and when to send me to the dungeon to rescue the dogs.

            The tension hung in the air like a dense fog, only ending when the call of “ ** _Off with his head_**.” pierced the silence.

            Hat still on his head, the fake Hatter waited for the hatchet to come down onto his pale neck. From my vantage point, I could clearly see his aquamarine eyes and toothy grin…I could sense that something strange was about to happen…strange even by standards here! That is a rare occurrence, I assure you.

            The executioner raised the ax high over his head and swung down with all his might towards Chessur. I cringed as the cutting edge whistled through the air and came down with a **_clang_**!

            Wait a minute…that couldn’t be right…heads did not go **_clang_** when they were cut off.

            My gaze darted around, searching for the source of the out-of-place sound, only to fall on Tarrant’s hat floating through the air and his body completely gone, “What in the world!?!?” I yelped in shock.

            Allyson just smiled.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Everybody looked like they’d seen a ghost or something! I was the only one whose expression would make you think that this was a normal, everyday thing. I almost couldn’t keep myself from laughing at Stayne’s bewildered face, “You ok up there?” he looked down at me and then back at the hat drifting above our heads.

            He didn’t answer. He was too dumbfounded to speak, “I…I don’t know…” Stayne finally managed to stammer.

            The hat twisted and turned, seeming to dance on the breeze; it eventually did a slow cartwheel right in front of Iracebeth on her balcony. And out popped the Cheshire Cat!

            “Good morning all!” he smiled and greeted us all cheerily.

            The crowd gasped in unison; the Tweedles dared one another to contradict what he’d just seen; McTwisp wasn’t really sure **_what_** to do! Mally uncovered her eyes and giggled, “Chess, you **_dog_**!” she cried jubilantly.

            The Cheshire Cat winked as the real Hatter poked his head out from the side of the Red Queen’s throne, “Madam?” he called to the queen beside him, causing her to jump and let out an ear piercing squeal of terror, “You are being **_heinously_** bamboozled by these **_lickspittle_** toadies you surround yourself with!” and with that, he grabbed Lady Long Ears by the lobe and jerked off her false ear.

            Iracebeth glowered down at the rubbery faux body part, “What is **_that_**?!” she hissed. The Knave cupped his hand over his mouth to keep the hilarity to himself; he was struggling not to get down on the ground and roll.

            “I-I’m not the only one… ** _LOOK!_** ” she pointed to the other side of the chair to Lady Large Nose, whose snout was dangling off her face.

            “A counterfeit nose!? Humph! You should be ashamed!” Sir Round Belly scoffed.

            The woman snatched the fake snoot off and huffed angrily, “Me!? What about that huge stomach of yours!?” she popped one of the buttons on his suspenders, revealing his pillowed midsection. Sir Four-Chins gasped; his phony cheeks fell to the floor within seconds. His pale hand reached over to Lady Large Chest and ripped off her “top”. She clapped her hands over the top of her dress to cover herself up. Stayne and I were struggling to stand up straight.I was trying to breathe deeply so that I wouldn’t burst into a fit of uncontrollable snickering.

The Queen on the other hand, wasn’t calming down in the least, “ **LIARS! CHEATERS! FALSIFIERS! _OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!_** ” she shrieked.

            Tarrant grabbed hold of a nearby flagpole and slid down to the ground before the mass of people and right next to me and Ilosovic, “To the abused and enslaved of the Red Queen’s court! All of you! Stand up and fight! Rise up against the Bloody Red Queen!” he rallied them to a resounding chorus of “ ** _DOWNAL WYTH BLUDDY BEHG HID!!!!_** ” that Stayne and I proudly joined in on. The monkeys cheered and threw off their tiny hats, as did the frog and fish footmen, along with the people, crying out with joy. Everywhere in the palace, animals and humans alike raised the battle cry of the Resistance and threw their bonds to the wind.

            “ ** _RELEASE THE JUBJUB BIRD_**!!!” Iracebeth screeched angrily.

            “Is it time?” the Knave shouted over the din of the crowd.

            I nodded feverishly, “Oh yeah! Let’s go!” We bolted in opposite directions; I was headed for the stable yard to get our ride and he was off to the dungeon to free Bielle and her puppies.

            It was **_show-time_**!

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            Adrenaline was pulsing through my veins as I flew through the crowd and burst into the horse stables. I slammed the door behind me so none of the Guards could get in, “ _Alright… where’s his horse?_ ” I began the search for Stayne’s steed. There were several beautiful horses in the stalls, and all their eyes were fixed on me.

            “Who’re you?” one of them whinnied; a dappled grey mare with a star on her forehead.

            “ ** _Ahh_**! Oh, sorry, I forgot that you can talk…”

            “Well?” another snorted; he was a bay colt with a jet black mane, “Who are you?”

            “I’m uh….a friend of the Knave’s.” I managed to straighten myself out and give them somewhat of an answer.

            A tawny blond filly looked at me curiously, “Stayne? You must be looking for his horse then, hmm?”

            I nodded, “Yeah, where is he?”

            Every head turned to the back of the barn where the biggest brute of a horse I’d ever seen was lying on the floor, shackled to the wall, “Ever since Ilosovic escaped on his back, Fallon has been chained to that wall until the exact moment he was needed.” the mare informed me.

            “And I absolutely **_refuse_** to make any escape attempt after what happened the **_first time_**! If you want a ride out of here, take one of **_them_**.” he snapped, “Not me!”

            Great, just **_great_** , “Well, which ones of you could make it to Marmoreal with two people on your back by tonight?” No volunteers of course.

            Until…

            “I-I can!” a neigh piped up from the rear of the barn. A burly white stallion leapt over his gate and trotted over to me, “I could make it Miss…” he offered humbly. He certainly looked like he was strong enough to hold the two of us up to Mirana’s castle!

            “You sure? We’re not stopping after we get started.”

            “Oh yes! I’m positive!” he was eager to get out of here, just like the rest of them.

            I could only hope he was right; he was our only chance now. His saddle and bridle were already on his back and head, so all I had to do was hop on and gallop out; and free the others as well.

            They stampeded into the courtyard and out across the drawbridge, much to the amazement of the people running helter-skelter every which way. It was breathtaking to watch, but I didn’t have time to stand there and sightsee. I had a Knave to save!

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      I was about to keel over by the time I reached the dungeon to free Bielle and the puppies, “Whoa! Jeez!” I panted, “I’m **_really_** getting too old for this….Ouch.”

            “Stayne…are you ok?” the bloodhound’s timid voice echoed through the bars of her cage. The four puppies; Anya, Tahlia, Dobe and Clifford, peeked out from around their mother’s back anxiously.

            “Yes…yeah, I’m fine. I just…need to exercise a little more.” I stood up again and whipped out my dagger, shoving it into the cell’s lock. The door swung open and the dogs rushed out as fast as their short legs could carry them.

            “Oh thank you Mr. Stayne!” the puppies barked over their shoulders as their mother ushered them outside for the first time in weeks. They yipped and howled with glee when the sun’s light finally warmed their dark fur, and they had their first taste of freedom.

            I wasn’t far behind; I was just as itchy to get out of here as the next guy! With a running start, I burst into the courtyard once more…only to nearly get swiped by the Jubjub Bird, wheeling low over the crowd trying to escape. He ruthlessly picked them off, one by one until only a handful had made it out alive.

            The Tweedles, Tarrant, Mally and the Youngbloods had all crossed the drawbridge to safety, but Allyson was nowhere in sight, “ _No…she **can’t** be…_” I searched the sea of people worriedly, “ _He couldn’t have gotten her, could he? Oh that stupid bird! Why I ought to…_ ”

            Iracebeth’s shrill screams of anger rebounded off the walls and filled the whole palace, drowning out everything thing else. It was almost funny to think of how much she’d wail when she saw me heading out with the rest of them! She’d be hoarse for weeks and we’d probably hear her all the way to Marmoreal! Ha!

            Right as her beady black eyes fell on me, the stable doors flew open and a glimmering white horse galloped out at full speed, “Yaaah!” cried the rider as they burst out of the stalls and cantered over to me, “Hey sugar, need a lift?” Allyson offered her gloved hand to pull me onto the back of Bolt, one of the many horses captured from Mirana’s castle at the beginning of the war.

            “I thought we were taking **_my_** horse.”

            “Well, **_your_** horse was being a royal pain in the neck about not wanting to go, and with me not being the kind of person to **_force_** anything on anybody…” she winked, “I took the first volunteer. This is what I ended up with. No offense.”

            “None taken.” she patted the side of his neck and grinned maliciously. Allyson turned the horse to face the balcony where the Queen was still wailing and lamenting about all the escapes.

            She let out a short whistle to catch her attention “Hey ‘ ** _Racie_**! Look what I **_got_**!” she gloated. I knew she was referring to me as what she had stolen from Iracebeth, her smile and mischievous tone gave her away.

            The Queen’s face was blank with shock; was I **_really_** leaving?! With **_this_** girl? Without **_her_**? “ _Ilosovic_ …? _Darling_ , where are you going?” she stammered.

            “I’m headed to where I’ve been trying to go since you brought me here. I’m going **_home_**.” I realized with a start that I was finally leaving. For good. Forever. This was real…it wasn’t a dream. I truly was going back to where I belong.

            “W-what?”

            “Did the man speak with an **_accent_** Iracebeth? You _heard_ him, he’s **leaving** …and so am I.” she stuck her tongue out at the Queen and wheeled us toward the wide open doorway. We got about halfway there when she turned around again, her usual smug smile plastered all over her face, “Oh and by the way…”

            Iracebeth’s face was turning redder and redder by the second, “ ** _What_**?!” she snipped.

            “Those tarts were absolutely **_marvelous_**! You simply **_must_** give me the recipe sometime!” Allyson called from the saddle. I couldn’t help but laugh at her jabs about the thieved tarts stuffed in her bag between us.

            The Queen shouted with rage as we made an about-face and rode away…none of the soldiers even bothered to try and stop us, most of them actually waved and cheered as we galloped past.

    I hugged her tightly when we passed through the gates, “Oh thank you for getting me out of there! You don’t know what this means to me, Allyson…I really owe you.”

            She snorted and gave me a cynical grin, “Buddy, you owe me for a **_lot_** more than this! That singing thing wasn’t free ya know; I get **_paid_** to do that back home!” she chuckled.

            Great…now what was I supposed to do?! “Well then, what is it you want from me?”

            “You’ll see.”

            Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this?

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      It barely took us any time to catch up with everyone on foot, but it was almost dark when we did, “I really hope we get to Marmoreal before it gets pitch black out here…” I yawned; it was so far past my bedtime, it wasn’t even funny.

            Stayne nodded, “It wouldn’t be very helpful to us to get stuck out here tonight when the moon isn’t going to be very visible. It’d be so dark that no one would be able to see two inches in front of themselves.”

            “That wouldn’t be good…” I sighed again, struggling to keep my eyes open. All this butt-kicking and Knave-stealing had worn me out!

            Ilosovic reached around me and took the reins, “Maybe **_I’d_** better drive from here.”

            “Mmhmm…yeah, I think I’ll just take a nap until we get there…”

            I slowly began to doze off, leaning back against the Knave as we continued to trot to the White Queen’s castle. The cooling air felt good, brushing my skin and whipping my hair everywhere, and the horse’s steady gait wasn’t as bumpy as I thought it’d be.

            Right before I could nod-off, Stayne asked the question I’d been waiting for him to ask since **_way_** earlier, “So, uh…who is that Um girl from Umbradge anyway? Is that even her real name?”

            “Nope. That’s not her real name…she’s not from Umbradge either.”

            He seemed stunned by the obvious, “Well, who **_is_** she?”

            “You **_really_** want to know?” I eyed him skeptically, trying not to laugh at him too hard. I mean seriously, how **_dumb_** would you have to be to fall for something that off-the-wall?! And he was one of the **_smart_** ones in that bunch!

            He nodded.

            “You sure?”

            He nodded again, “Yes, I’m sure.”

            I put my head in my hands on the horn of the saddle, barely able to answer for giggling, “Uh…well Stayne…that was, uh……that was **_Alice_**.” I chanced a peek over my shoulder to see his expression. Blank.

            “What?”

            “ ** _Um_** is **_Alice_**.”

            This didn’t quite seem to register with him just yet. He stared at the ground, then the Hatter, then me…confused. He didn’t believe me, “No, **_really_** Allyson…who is Um?”

            “Alice.” I repeated, watching him go from clueless to petrified in a matter of seconds. He’d gotten the message across.

            His eye shot open in fear and he started shaking like a leaf, “No, **_no_** …she **_can’t_** be! Alice is…was…she’s…” Stayne’s face was paper white, “That **_can’t_** be the same girl as before! She was only a **_child_**!”

            I laid back again, breathing in deeply, “Oh, she’s the same girl alright! You didn’t recognize her?”

            He shook his head feverishly.

            “Well, she is a bit… ** _larger_** than she was last time, is she not?” I couldn’t resist the ‘ _largeness’_ joke. He glared at me, but he still thought it was rather humorous.

            “Oh, if I’d known that was **_Alice_** …I **_never_** would’ve said that! She must be hopping mad at me for it, and I doubt she’d **_ever_** forgive me!” he rubbed his forehead in disgrace. “Thank Heavens Tarrant doesn’t know about it! He’d wring my neck good if he found out that I’d been flirting with **_her_**!”

            If ignorance is bliss, **_somebody_** must be **_bursting_** with joy right about now, “He knows.”

            “ ** _HOW_?!**”

            “Keep it down will you?! Are you trying to wake the dead or something? Jeez! The White Rabbit probably saw you and told him. Tarrant actually thinks it’s pretty funny.” I snickered. To prove my point, the Hatter started laughing too.

            “Ooh! Now what am I going to do!?” he was totally overreacting to this situation, and I probably wasn’t going to make it any better, “She’s at Mirana’s, isn’t she?”

            “Yup. Or at least I would hope so…that’s where I sent her.”

            The Knave stared perplexedly at the ground, trying to get a firm grasp of what he should do once we got to the castle. Then I suppose it finally dawned on him, “You want me to apologize to her, don’t you?”

            I didn’t say anything. I just kept my eyes on the slowly shortening road to the palace.

            He nearly let go of the reins and his hands fell to his sides, and I could tell he felt nervous. What if she wouldn’t listen, or what if she’d turned the whole castle against him so that he couldn’t stay? What had she said about the “Hallway Incident” while we were still at Iracebeth’s place? Was Mirana aware of the situation? Would she forgive him or totally ignore him?

            He was scared. Even more scared than he was of leaving the Red Queen’s place. He was terrified; and of little ol’ Alice no less! Poor guy…

            “Listen, don’t worry. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. If she doesn’t listen to you, I’ll talk to her. Ok?” my eyes slid up to meet his, but he didn’t even look at me.

            “……”

            “ ** _Ok_**?”

            “Fine…” he grumbled. He looked like Trevor’s brother Charlie’s does when we catch him with his hand in the bag of M&Ms before lunch; all pouted and sulky.

            We rode the rest of the way in silence; I fell asleep lying against his shoulder as he steered the horse down the cobblestone pathway. I sure hope Alice is in a good mood when we get there!

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      The White Queen, Bayard and I stood on one of her many balconies, anxiously waiting for a sign of the others arriving, hoping they’d all made it out in one piece. Stars had once again begun to appear in the falling evening sky and the breeze became colder, showing the time was getting later and later. We were all worried in our own ways; Bayard for his wife and children, me for the Hatter and Allyson ( _though she could probably handle herself!_ ) and Mirana for who would fight the Jabberwock tomorrow.

            “I had hoped to have a **_champion_** by now.” she hinted to me not-so-subtly.

            All this yakking about me slaying things was getting rather irritating, “Why don’t you slay it yourself Majesty? You must have the power to do it!”

            She shook her head solemnly, “Not in battle, only in the Healing Arts. It is against my vows to harm any living thing.” but even as she said this, a lightening bug flew by her face and she swatted it away. So much for that vow!

            I returned to watching the vast plains stretching before the castle, the lake glimmering in the rising moonlight, and the willows dropping their tiny blossom petals in the courtyard. This place was too beautiful to be anything but a dream.

            The Queen gasped suddenly and raised her telescope to the road ahead, “We have company!” as she flitted through the door and down the hallway; I took a peek into the spyglass myself.

            “Oh Tarrant!” I squealed in relief when I caught sight of his unruly red hair and dazzling green eyes, a Tweedle brother on each hand and the Dormouse in his pocket. McTwisp and the other bloodhounds trotted merrily alongside him.

            “Have a look Bayard.”

            “Bielle!” he raced down the stairs and to his family, leaving me alone on the parapet.

            But…where was Allyson?

            I lifted the spyglass again to look for her, but, to my horror, the first thing my eyes fell on was Stayne, the Knave.

            What was **_he_** doing here?!

            While I watched, he glanced down like he was looking at his arm and said something, which didn’t really make sense until I followed his gaze to the drowsy face of the very girl whom I was looking for! So she was alright! Allyson blinked a few times, and yawned heavily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her mouth barely moved as she replied to whatever he’d said, she was still half-asleep. He stopped the horse that they had ridden in on; a great white brute of a stallion, and helped her off the saddle and to her feet. I stayed no longer on the terrace, running to join them in the garden. I **_had_** to know what was going on that would bring the Knave of Hearts here without any of his men **_or_** the Red Queen.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            When I finally reached the entrance to the palace, everyone was already exchanging hugs and happy exclamations; Mirana was embracing the Tweedles tightly, leaving lipstick prints all over their pale foreheads. The Dormouse and the White Rabbit were dancing with glee around the bloodhounds, but I didn’t see the Cheshire Cat anywhere. The next thing in my line of sight was the Hatter.

            “Oh Hatter!” I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly, “I’m so glad to see you! Are you alright?! I thought they were going to-”

            “So did I! But they didn’t!” he interjected, hugging me close, “And here I am still in one piece, thanks to Chessur of course… and Allyson…and I’m extremely thankful now that I’m seeing you again… I would’ve highly regretted not seeing **_you_** again… especially now that you’re really you, and the proper size…it’s a nice size, it’s **_wonderful_** size! It’s a right-proper Alice size-”

            “ _Hatter_ …”

            He shook his head to snap back into the moment, “Size… _fez_ …I’m fine!” and it was true. He was indeed **_very_** fine! I was so afraid that I’d never see him again! My heart was too swelled with happiness to let my voice through to say what I wanted to tell him.

            “Wait,” I caressed his flaming red curls, “Where’s your hat?”

            The top hat dropped down beside us, sitting on the head of the Cat grinning as usual.

            “Chess!”

            “How’s the arm, love?” he purred, rubbing against my neck.

            “All healed.” I proudly showed off the scratches that were almost gone now.

            His smile dissipated as the Hatter held out his hand for the hat, “Hmm…goodbye, sweet hat…” he sighed. It was now back in its rightful place atop his head, and the smile between us said more than any words could’ve conveyed in our lifetimes.

            We released each other just as Allyson snuck up on me and clasped her arms around mine, “Hiya Alice!”

            “There you are you cheeky little rascal! I was worried sick about you! What took so long?”

            “Well……” she giggled mischievously, the Knave shook his head and rolled his eye, “We had to steal some tarts, ruffle a few feathers and find a horse…” she shrugged.

            “ **WE**?! What’s all this **_we_** business?! **_You_** did most of it; **_I_** was just along for the ride!” Stayne objected.

            She glared playfully at him, “Exactly; you were there. You had a hand in all of this. End of story.” she nodded matter-of-factly and continued, “Anywho…”

            The Knave looked quietly at the ground, not really sure if he should say anything or not, shuffling his feet nervously. The wind blew his hair across his eye patch, but he brushed it away shakily. It seemed like he was afraid of something…or someone.

            “What the-?!”

            We all jumped and soon discovered that Allyson’s clothes had changed by themselves… **again**. She now wore a white and silver halter-top dress with a white robe over it; her hair was flowing down her back in hundreds of curls with a headband holding it back, “Where did this come from?” she tugged on the dress and rubbed her sleeves.

            “How do you do that?” Stayne asked, almost as stunned as she was.

            “I…I **_didn’t_**! My clothes have been doing this since I got here…it’s weird…”

            The White Queen had ushered everyone else inside while we were talking, and now she glided over to us in her strange little way, “Alright everyone, it’s getting cold and dark! You all need to get inside before you get sick! Go on! Go, go!” she kindly shooed us into the castle just as the last rays of sunlight vanished into the night.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      I could almost see Stayne’s hands shaking when I walked over to him; I guess he was frightened of me because Allyson wasn’t around to stick up for him ( _she‘s gone to talk to Absolem about the battle tomorrow_ ). He must’ve thought I was going to fly into a fit of rage and beat the stuffing out of him for what he said earlier, but he was mistaken entirely. All I wanted was to know why he was here and how he got away from Iracebeth unscathed, I wasn’t going to chew him out or anything! It was really rather comical how jittery he was around me…I wonder if she’d told him that I’m **_supposedly_** “ **THE** Alice” that everyone has been searching for and hoping that I am?

      “H-hello A-Alice…” he stammered, avoiding all eye contact.

            So she **_has_** told him.

            “Hello Stayne.” I tried to smile, but it seemed too fake to be sincere, so I dropped it. “What’re you doing here? I thought surely there was no safe way out of the Red Queen’s castle for you…” I hoped there wasn’t too much of an edge to my words; I didn’t want our feisty mutual friend to get ill-tempered at me for running him off or making him angry. We’d both seen how short her fuse was and I had no desire to shorten it any further!

            “Hmm…that’s what I thought too. I thought I’d never be free of that awful place but…” he chuckled, “our little **_friend_** had other plans evidently. If it weren’t for her, I’d probably still be there now…” he sighed.

            He was right, as I learned later that night from what she said, if the she-devil hadn’t beaten him into submission and forced him out of the palace, he’d be as good as dead tomorrow after the battle. Mirana wasn’t exactly the most forgiving person after a big fight…especially if you’re the right-hand assassin of her homicidal sister.

            Or, so I’m told at least.

            “So, you’re fighting with us?” I now noticed his new white uniform in place of the black one he’d had on when they arrived. He even had on a different eye patch ( _of course, Allyson had run off with the original one and his cape earlier, hiding until he finally gave up and let her have them_ ) He really didn’t mind; he didn’t need them anymore anyway. He just wanted to have a little fun chasing her around before our clash with the Jabberwocky and the Red Queen…and I don’t blame him. It may be his last chance to have anything fun.

            “Yes…” the Knave grinned proudly, showing a slight dimple in his cheek. Something about his smile reminded me of something…or somebody that I knew…from a long, long time ago. I saw flashes of light, faces randomly appearing and disappearing, voices blending together, blurry scenes from the past.

            _Screaming. Begging. Yelling. Running. Panting. Whispering. Fighting. Silence…_

             “Alice? Are you ok?” the Knave waved his hand in front of me to bring me back to the present.

            “Yes…yes I’m fine. I just…I don’t know what happened.” I shook my head to clear it, mystified by the strange flashbacks.

            He smiled nervously, still at a loss for words, “Well uh, Alice, I…I’m sorry. You know, about earlier…in the um, hallway…”the Knave shuffled from one side to the other timidly.

            “It’s alright…I’m not mad at you.”

            “Y-you’re…you’re not?!” he seemed startled, but relieved at the same time.

            “How can I be angry when I find it so funny? Well, now that it’s after the fact anyway…” I shrugged, but he rolled his eye and snickered.

            “Yeah, that makes three of you then…” he sighed.

            “Four, actually.” I corrected him, “Mirana thinks it’s rather humorous too.”

            “ _Wonderful_.”

            We both doubled over laughing, until Allyson came skidding in, looking quite frightened. Her teeth tightly clenched together, she whimpered and beckoned for the Knave, “ ** _Stayne…_** _you need to see this! Quick!_ ” she pleaded, snatching him by the wrist and marching off.

            “Goodnight Alice!” they called to me in unison as they disappeared from sight.

            “G’night!” I replied, deciding to look for someone else to chat with for awhile. I didn’t have to look far, because the Hatter was standing right behind me when I turned around!

            “My, my, those two sure are something else to see, are they not?” he laughed gleefully. He surprised me by sneaking up on me, but I quickly recovered to strike up a conversation.

            “Yes they are!”

            We could still faintly hear one of them ( _most likely Allyson_ ) yelling at the other, but we couldn’t make out what she was saying because of the echo in the hall. Nevertheless, it was still amusing to listen to.

            “Well I don’t suppose you want to stay up too much later then, so I’ll be going-”

            “Oh no Tarrant, that’s alright! I’m not going to bed anytime soon; believe me, I’m not even tired!” I interjected, keeping him from leaving me all alone, “Let’s go onto the balcony for a little bit; I’ve wanted to talk with you anyway.”

            “If you insist!” I dragged him through the bedroom and onto the turret to gaze at the stars and speak of the day’s happenings. I was so happy to see him after everything that had happened; thankful that he was still alive and here with me, I didn’t want him to go away yet.

            I wanted to believe that this wasn’t all a dream after all…and besides Allyson, he was the most real person I’d seen since arriving in Underland…

            And the **_only_** one that I was starting to have **_real_** feelings for…


	18. Chapter 17 - Double Prophecy, Double Trouble

Allyson dragged me through the halls, her footsteps were hurried and anxious, reverberating off the walls, “What’s this all about? Where are we going?”

            “You’ll see when we get there.” she trembled like a leaf in a windstorm. I could tell she was terrified; I just hoped nothing had happened.

            “Allyson, what’s wrong? Please tell me.” I begged, but she just continued with her seemingly endless journey to the garden just under hers and Alice’s room silently.

            When she finally did stop to explain, she talked so fast I could barely understand her, “I just looked at the Oraculum… and talked to Absolem about tomorrow and…and…” her widened brown eyes filled with tears as she stared up at me helplessly, “I…have to fight the Jabberwocky tomorrow! With or **_without_** Alice!” she wailed.

            I was too dumbfounded to speak, too shocked to do anything but gaze in horror at the oracle laid on the bush before us. In the picture of the Frabjous Day, two female knights were attempting to slay the fearsome dragon-like creature, one had light curly hair ( _obviously Alice_ ) and the smaller one had straight dark hair pulled back into a ponytail…Allyson.

            Now I remember why she’d seemed so familiar at the Tea Party a few days earlier; she was the mystery girl I’d seen! But how could that be?! She wasn’t old enough to do something crazy and dangerous like that!

            But the Oraculum never lies.

            “What am I going to do?! I-I can’t fight that thing…I mean; you’ve seen it up-close before! That thing could kill me and Alice without any effort! None at all!” she cried, “Stayne, I’m too young to die! So is Alice! Isn’t there **_anything_** we can do to change this?”

            I shook my head, silently realizing the horrible truth. There’s no way to change destiny. No one can stop the inevitable, “No,” I said, “Nothing…”

            Her eyes narrowed in fear, “Oh my God, what’s gonna happen to us?!” she threw herself into my arms, though my embrace did little to calm her down.

            “I can’t do this…I can’t do this… ** _I can’t do this_** …” she moaned.

            I felt so bad for her, but there isn’t a thing I can do, “I’m sorry things had to turn out this way…” I led Allyson to the nearby swing in the center of the garden and let her sit down beside me. She curled into a ball and her head rested against my leg as she tried to swallow back some of her tears.

            “But tell me this; why does this upset you so? What happened to that brave little girl back at Iracebeth’s castle? She isn’t **_gone_** is she?”

            Allyson sniffled and glowered up at me boldly, “Of course not! She just wasn’t prepared for something like this and doesn’t know what to do, that’s all.” she huffed, “I can’t stand it when I don’t know what’s going on.”

            “Is that why you’re so scared?”

            “I am **_NOT_** scared, thank you very **_much_**. I’m mad because nobody warned me about any of this, especially since Absolem knew the whole time! The nerve of that bug…” she growled.

            “But if you could beat _me_ so easily _twice_ ,” I pointed out our previous clashes, “what about the Jabberwocky presents such a problem? He can’t be too much harder to defeat.”

            She scoffed, “Ilosovic, compared to slaying the **_Jabberwocky_** , beating **_you_** up is like blowing over a piece of paper. It’s not that hard to whoop somebody if they’re not fighting back.” she jeered, “Killing a Jabberwocky is like nailing gelatin to a tree.”

            “How do you know? You’ve never done it.”

            “Neither have you.”

            Well, she had a point…

            “Besides that, what makes you think that you can’t defeat it? You won’t be by yourself at least.” I reminded her that Alice was going to be fighting the beast too. She still wasn’t convinced though.

            “There’s no guarantee that Alice will even **_go_** tomorrow morning. From the way she was talking a few days ago, you’d think she’s ready to light out of here as soon as the rest of us aren’t paying her any attention!” she objected, “ ** _She’s_** the one that’s scared, I’m just not in the **_mood_**. If I’d been informed of this earlier than tonight I would’ve taken it much better, but being told something like this last minute does **_NOT_** make me a very happy camper.”

            “But you can’t let that stop you! You know,” I chuckled at the thought of the giant Jabberwocky at the mercy of Allyson when she was at her most furious, “you could use your bad temper against him. He’d be begging for the Vorpal Sword within five minutes.”

            She smiled slightly, “Yeah, I guess I co- hey wait a minute!” she caught on right before she finished her sentence. We both laughed, finally lightening the mood of the night, “Well, you **_are_** right…”

            “I thought you’d agree.”

            “Of course I would; I know it for a fact firsthand!”

            There was a long silence that followed, as we watched the stars dance across the sky. I remembered all the times that I’d laid under this same sky when I was much younger, with Luna and all the other children. We would stay out after dark for hours catching fireflies and chasing one another around the courtyard; the memories are so vivid, I can almost hear us giggling and see us tumbling around on the grass.

            I also remembered the haunted feeling I got when I realized that Iracebeth was watching us from her bedroom window. She’d never come outside and play with us; she always stayed inside and glared down at us. We’d tried to be nice to her and ask her to join us, but she was always hateful and refused, especially if her sister asked. The Red Queen hated Mirana; she was so terribly jealous of her only sibling.

            If only we’d know what her loathing would end up becoming, maybe we could’ve stopped it.

            Maybe……if only……

            “What are you thinking so hard about?” Allyson piped up, watching me curiously.

            I sighed, “Oh nothing…just someone I used to know…from a long time ago.”

            “A **_girl_**?”

            “Yes, one of the Hatter’s cousins…she was killed in the Massacre.”

            “What was her name?”

            A knot formed in my throat, and tears crept their way into my eye, “ _Luna_ …”

            She smiled, “That’s a pretty name. What did she look like?”

            I sighed forlornly; the world had lost a beautiful thing when she died, “She was gorgeous… her hair and eye color was odd for the Hightopps though, they usually had dark colored hair and eyes, but hers were different.” I often tried to picture what Luna would’ve looked like if she’d survived, but my guesses almost certainly would’ve fallen short, “She had silver eyes, they were nearly the same shade as those white flowers over there, but they sparkled like the lake water does…they were always happy too… Her hair was light lavender; it was curly like Alice’s…” my voice trailed off.

            “Wow… hmm, that description sounds familiar. I think I might have seen her on the Oraculum before…” she stepped out of the swing and went over to the oracle, rolling it back to before the Horunvendush Day. “Is that her?” she pointed right to her.

            I was amazed by how quickly she could pick her out of all the Hightopp children without ever having met her, “Yes, but…how did you know about her?”

            “Absolem.”

            Of course.

            “I can name a bunch of his family members. I can find them on here too! I’m really good with remembering their faces and names.” she scrolled even farther back to where his other close family members were, “That’s his cousin Christian and his girlfriend Zada… there’s his mom Rosalynn and his dad Samuel…” Allyson paused; her finger following some of the moving lines to two people that she could immediately tell weren’t Hightopps, “Are those… _your_ parents? The guy looks an awful lot like you, aside from the moustache.” she observed.

            Tears began to pull at the corner of my eye again, “Yeah, that’s my mom and dad… when they were still around, that is…he was the White Knight you know.”

            “Really? You look just like your dad…kinda like me!” she pulled out her so-called “cell phone” and quickly found a picture of herself and her father; she was right, they looked extremely identical. The next picture, one of her and her mother, was another story; they looked very dissimilar, “Our voices sound alike though. People get us mixed up over the phone all the time.”

            I had no idea what she meant, but I nodded like I knew what was going on.

            Suddenly and without warning, she stumbled backwards, giggling hysterically at something on the Oraculum.

            “What is it?” I glanced over her shoulder to where she was looking and quickly figured it out for myself, “Yes, that’s me…” I groaned with disdain when I realized exactly how far **_back_** she’d gone.

            “Awww! You were such a **_cute_** baby!” she snickered, “Look how _pudgy_ you were! How adorable!” she chuckled.

            “Yeah, yeah! Forget about **_me_** being chubby, look at Chess!”

            Her gaze locked onto the Cheshire Kitten and the ‘oohs’ and ‘awws’ started anew, “He was so fuzzy! I not really a **_cat_** person, per se, but he looks so cuddly! Uh-oh…” she grinned maliciously, “I found **_Iracebeth_** …”

            “ ** _No_** way!”

            “ ** _Yes_** way.”

            And so, for the next half hour, we ogled over everyone’s infant depictions on the Oraculum, throwing in our string of commentary and comparing them to what we looked like now. Allyson and her Overland friends are fortunate that this parchment can’t hone in on the past, present and future of their world!

            She rolled it forward a bit until it hit our early teenage pictures, and started giggling again, “Ooh! You and Tarrant were pretty handsome back in the day eh?” she laughed, flitting her eyelashes dreamily.

            “Uh-huh,” I agreed jokingly, “If he hadn’t met Alice and I hadn’t been with Luna, we couldn’t have beaten all the girls off with a stick. We just couldn’t help it…we were gifted with a curse I suppose.”

            “Oh yeah…I know what you mean. You two were regular ladies' men huh?”

            “The only girls that left us alone were our relatives, anyone old enough to be our mother or half our age.”

            “Ooh! Playa, playas!”

            We both fell to the ground, our sides aching from laughing so hard. She was gasping for air, tears streaming down her face, I almost couldn’t breathe myself, “Oh gosh!” Allyson panted, “I haven’t laughed this hard since…I can’t remember when!”

            “Me either…” I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I’d laughed at all…it was so long ago…

            I’m not sure how long we lay in the tall, soft grass, but the next time I looked over to her, she was sound asleep beside me. Her breath had slowed, her wild eyes were now shut tight, and she still wore a tiny smile. She seemed so innocent, so calm…and her looks so deceiving! The young girl lying beside me was a little devil in an angel’s guise, she could’ve fooled anyone that didn’t truly know her into thinking she was a total saint, but she wasn’t pulling the wool over my eyes anymore! I’d learned my lesson! I wasn’t going to be the one to ruin her fun though, so I didn’t care to warn any unsuspecting bystanders. They’d have to figure it out on their own.

            “Allyson? Ally-?” I gently shook her shoulders as I sat up in the meadow, receiving no reply. She was out like a light, “Of course….now I’ve got to carry her **_all_** the way back in…” I slid my arms under her legs and around her shoulders, marching silently up the hill and back to Mirana’s castle.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            She was completely limp the whole way to the bedroom she and Alice had planned on sharing tonight, “Stayne? Is she ok?!” Alice exclaimed when her eyes fell on Allyson’s seemingly lifeless form, her legs dangling like a rag doll’s and head rolling slightly from side to side.

            “Yes, she’s just asleep. She must be tired from all the ruckus she stirred up in the Red Queen’s castle.” I set her on the bed closest to the balcony window, pulling the covers up around her shoulders.

            Allyson stirred a little, but she didn’t wake up, only shifting to her side and sighing contentedly, “She isn't so intimidating now, is she?” the Hatter teased, placing his hand on Alice’s shoulder.

            “Not like she is when she’s awake anyhow. I’d hate to be the person that accidentally wakes her up too early!”

            “You and I both!”

            “Me three!”

            We chuckled softly, being careful not to jinx ourselves and actually awaken her, “Well friends, I’ll be turning in for the night! You should do the same Alice dear, you’ve got a big day tomorrow…” Tarrant reminded her sweetly.

            “Goodnight Hatter…” she reluctantly allowed him to leave, watching despondently as the door shut behind him.

            “I think I’ll follow his example; I’m pretty exhausted myself…” I smiled one last time at the slumbering teen lying below me. I smoothed her dark brown hair down around her ear, and she half-smiled in her sleep.

            “Alright. I guess I’ll…see you in the morning then?” Alice inquired, like she expected me to be gone by first light, which I most **_definitely_** would **_not_** be!

            “See you in the morning. G’night Alice.”

             And with that I stepped outside, where I found the White Queen waiting for me, “Hello Ilosovic…”

            “Hi Mirana.”

            She looked up and down the hall, as if she were searching for something or someone, “Do you remember where your room is?”

            I filed through my memories, finally recalling the way to the bedroom I used to sleep in as a young boy, “Yes…I remember…”

            The White Queen smiled warmly, “It hasn’t been used since you left…I knew you’d return to it someday.”

            “I’m glad **_someone_** did…if it hadn’t been for Allyson in there, that room still would’ve been empty tonight.”

            “Tonight maybe, but there would’ve been a night not too far in the future where you’d be found there again…” she replied cryptically. What was that supposed to mean?

            “Who told you that?” I was thoroughly confused; there was no guarantee that if I’d stayed with Iracebeth that I would’ve survived the Frabjous Day, and here her sister is saying that I would’ve come back to Marmoreal after the fact! “How do you mean?”

            “Oh,” she had a look that suggested that she knew something that no one else did, “a little birdie told me…” she began to glide towards her end of the hallway.

            “ _And I’d be willing to bet that ‘bird’ is blue, three inches high and smokes a hookah…_ ” I muttered to myself. I knew it had to have been Absolem; no one other than him would know of the future so well.

            When I started off in the opposite direction to go to bed, to the room I’d been wishing I could return to since I was first kidnapped, I felt a slight tug on my arm, “It’s good to have you back Ilosovic…” Mirana said kindly, reminding me that I was truly back in the safe haven of Marmoreal, where I belonged.

            “It’s good to **_be_** back, majesty…”

            Home sweet home at last! For now and forever.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      As soon as the Knave and Mirana’s voices had died away and their footsteps had ceased, I turned to the bed across from mine, “You’ve been awake this whole time, haven’t you?”

       “Well…not the **_whole_** time necessarily. I didn’t wake up until he brought me in here and laid me down.” Allyson corrected me, sitting up underneath the silk and satin bed sheets.

            “I didn’t think you really were asleep; I know you too well.”

            “I thought you might say that.” she pushed some loose strands of hair off her face, “So what do you think about tomorrow? The Frabjous Day I mean…” she asked somberly.

            I was silent; I really didn’t know what I was supposed to think or say, “I…I’m not sure. What about you?”

            She shrugged, like it was not that big of a deal, “I’m not too thrilled about it…but hey, there’s not much of anything we can do about except kill the Jabberwocky.”

            An irritated huff escaped from me, “Oh! Blast the Jabber-whatever! Why do **_we_** have to slay it? Shouldn’t one of the men do it? What I’d like to know is where that **_legendary White Knight_** when you need him?” I hissed, “Why am I even getting upset over this? This’ll all be over when I wake up.” allowing myself to fall back onto the bed, I curled under the sheets and buried my head in the pillows.

            There was a short chuckle from my roommate’s side of the room, “Wow,” she muttered, “You **_still_** think you’re dreaming, huh? Pssht, and Stayne thinks **_I’m_** the stubborn one!” she sat up and shook her head at me, “Y'know, you beat all I’ve ever seen Alice! Don’t you think as many times as you’ve gone to sleep and woken up down here that, if you actually **_were_** dreaming, that you would’ve snapped out of it by now?”

            Was she right? Shouldn’t I have woken up by now? Why am I still here, if this isn’t real? “I guess…I wouldn’t actually know. Do you?”

            “No, not as a rock-solid fact. It seems more logical than what you’re comin’ off with though!” Allyson grumbled, “It kind of sounds like one of Newton’s Laws; for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. You fall asleep, you start dreaming…then, when you wake up, the dream ends and you‘re back in reality. But I wonder, if you fall asleep **_in_** the dream, if when you wake up, is it in real life or the dream still?” she pondered drowsily, clutching a pillow and letting her eyelids droop closed.

            Neither one of us answered her question.

            Before drifting into slumber, I finally decided to ask her a question of my own, “Allyson?” I hoped she hadn’t already dozed off “Can I ask you something?”

            “Hmm?” she replied wordlessly. I could scarcely hear her over the pounding of my heart in my ears; should I ask her this? Would she think I’d gone crazy?

            “Do you…have…have you ever really liked someone, but didn’t know how to tell them?”

            The cover on her bed shifted as she rolled onto her other side, “Yeah, why?” she yawned.

            “Oh, no reason… I was just…” what am I doing? Lying to her is pointless; why do I even try? “Well, the truth is…I think I’m in that situation, you see. I was kind of hoping you’d be able to help me figure out how to tell him…you don’t seem afraid of things like that…or of anything much for that matter.”

            She scoffed, “Alice, once, I faked being sick so I could stay home from school **_just_** so I wouldn’t have to ask this guy out. I was **_that_** nervous.” she confessed, “I would usually pass a note to them during class or send it to them through one of my friends, but you don’t have that kind of time…by the time the _Hatter_ got the time to write one back, you’d be back home.”

            I nearly bolted upright in bed; how did she figure it out so quickly?! “How did you know it was **_him_**?”

            She sniggered again, “You’re not exactly the Queen of Subtlety, Alice. It wasn’t that hard to put two and two together on that one.”

            “It wasn’t?”

            “Nope.”

            Well, at least **_someone_** was sure of what I was feeling for Tarrant! I was beginning to get confused…

            “For sake of time, you should probably just flat out tell him. We’ve only got tomorrow ya know.” she yawned a second time, pulling the covers up around her shoulders, “Think you can handle that?”

            “I-I…suppose… it shouldn’t be **_too_** hard, should it?” while Allyson probably didn’t have any problem with this sort of thing, I’m not quite as brash or daring as she is. She has a certain spunk to her that I lack in myself… ** _muchness_** , as the Hatter called it.

            “Nah… you’ll be fine. Goodnight Alice.”

            And there ended our discussion.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      It’d been so long since I’d been here, the room was almost unrecognizable. All the white, blue and silver had me woozy, my eyes being so used to black, red and gold. It felt so much roomier and lighter than the enclosed and claustrophobic rooms in Iracebeth’s castle; it wasn’t so dark and gloomy either.

            All of the furniture was exactly the same as it’d been that fateful night I was dragged out the window and into the misery that was the next twenty-some years of my life…none of it had moved an inch. Granted, it was cleaner than I’d left it, on the other hand. Having been no more than a child when I was taken, my room was notorious for looking like a tornado had blown through it almost all the time. Now it was at least decently clean, aside from a little dust here and there and ashes still lying in the hearth from a long-dead fire.

            “I never thought there was a place I could miss so much, until I was snatched away from here…Finally, I’m really home now.” I sighed, “ _If only Luna were here…_ ”

            As late as it was, there was nothing my tired body wanted more than to pull back the covers of the bed and have a decent night’s sleep for the first time in ages. In Crims, there was no such thing, what with the Red Queen’s constant ranting and raving day and night.

            Mirana had one of her servants set up a mannequin in the corner of my room closest to the fireplace, so that I would have somewhere to lay my armor when I wasn‘t wearing it. Making full use of this was my top priority, so the chest plate and cape were off quicker than I’d put them on. The next thing I felt on my skin was the silvery silk nightshirt and the satin of she sheets around me.

            This is the life I’ve been missing!

            A life that can be taken away again tomorrow, just like it was the first time.

            I can only hope and pray that the girls come through and win the Frabjous Day Battle…or it could spell disaster for everyone here, including them.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      “How is anybody to get any sleep around here? You could cut the stress in the air with a knife!” I haphazardly tossed my hat onto the peak of the bed post, “I can’t imagine how the girls are going to get a wink of shuteye! They must be awfully nervous…”

      Chessur, floating lazily around the room, glided over to the writing desk and stretched out for the night, “Alice maybe, but Allyson seems quite together about it. **_She’s_** not shy about bringing her claws out, if you’ll pardon the expression Tarrant.” he purred. I just rolled my eyes and pulled off my boots. Walking from one queendom to another that was hundreds of miles away sure could wear a fellow’s feet out!

            “ ** _You_** didn’t see her tear through the halls like a bat out of The Inferno, nor hear her wailing like a banshee when she found out she’d be going into battle tomorrow.” I corrected him, “She may not look it, but she’s probably scared out of her wits. She’s only a child after all.”

            “Indeed, but she’s no ordinary child Hatter. If she was, she wouldn’t be here in the first place.” Though Chess was right, I knew that no child, no matter how extraordinary, wouldn’t be terrified of a beast as fearsome as the Jabberwocky, “No worries old boy, they’ll be fine…as long as they can handle their swords.”

            I sighed, pulling off my jacket and draping it over a chair, “Perhaps you’re right… at any rate; I suppose we’d best be getting rest now. We have to walk out there with them you know…”

            “Ah, I guess you’re right…goodnight Tarrant.” the rotund feline rolled over onto his side and shut his turquoise eyes to sleep.

            “G’night Chess…”

            I myself finally managed to get settled enough to fall into a dreamless slumber, still worrying over what tomorrow will bring for the citizens of Underland…and for the young woman I was slowly but surely falling in love with as we speak.


	19. Chapter 18 - Who Will Step Forth...and Drag Me Out of Bed?

The sun had broken the horizon only two hours ago, around seven or seven thirty, but I’d been up to see it rise. Sleep hadn’t come as easily as I’d hoped it would, but when it did, it was hard to get rid of.

            I was already dressed fully in my armor, waiting for the call to come to the courtyard and see if the Oraculum had changed, or whether the girls still had to go into battle later today.

            It was then that there came a knock at the bedroom door, followed by hushed laughter.

            “Who in the world could that be at this hour?” I rose from the lavish armchair that I’d been sitting in and sauntered to the door…only to find Alice and the Hatter on the other side. The two of them were smiling like they’d just pulled the greatest practical joke and got off scot-free, “What? What’s going on? What’s so funny?”

            Alice couldn’t answer for all the giggling she was doing, so the Hatter replied as best he could, “Well, we’ve got a bit of a problem…” Tarrant shook his head and rolled his neon green eyes. Something told me it had to do with our youngest cohort, since she wasn’t present at the time of this meeting.

            “What did Allyson do now?”

            “Well,” Alice gained her composure, “it’s not so much what she’s **_doing_** …it’s what she’s **_not_** doing…”

            Even **_better_** …

            “Come on, we’ll just have to show you. I honestly think we may need your help, Ilosovic.”

            “Why do I have a bad feeling about this?”

            “You probably **_should_** …”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      We slowly approached the room the girls had slept in last night, but nothing seemed amiss… what are these two -or _three_ , more than likely- up to? “What’s up with her? Is anything wrong?” a sudden lump of worry formed in my throat. Was she ill or injured?! But…why would two of her friends be laughing if she was hurt or sick? Something just wasn’t right.

            “Oh no, she’s perfectly fine. It’s the uh… ** _up_** part we’re having some difficulty with…” Tarrant gave me a few minutes to realize what he was saying, and then it finally hit me.

            “Let me guess…” I rocked back on the heel of my boots, crossing my arms, “she won’t get out of bed?”

            Alice nodded, “She takes the phrase ‘ _not a morning person_ ’ a whole other level. I wouldn’t get too close to the bed if I were you…she might bite.”

            It wouldn’t surprise me if she _did_ take a snap at one of us.

            She’s bad enough when she’s wide awake and in a “good” mood, I can’t imagine what it’d be like if you woke her up and made her angry! “Well, what do you want **_me_** to do with her?” I inquired, “If she won’t get up for either of you, she’ll probably rip **_my_** head off for trying to get her out of bed.”

            Hatter gently pushed the door open and cautioned us to be extremely quiet upon entering, “ _It’s going to take all three of us to do this._ ” he explained, tiptoeing around to the edge of the bed, “ _All I need is for you to_ -”

            “ ** _Don’t even think about it.”_** an animal-like growl slid from under the covers. A pair of bloodshot, brown eyes peered out from underneath the fluffy white pillow, glaring at anyone who dared come any closer.

            “I thought you said you couldn’t get her up?”

            “They woke me up; I just won’t get out of the bed.” Allyson snarled, “I don’t feel like it right this moment. I’ll get out when I feel like it. End of story. Good **_night_**!”

            “Technically,” Alice teased, “it should be good **_morning_** , dear.”

            “What ** _ever_**!” she jerked the sheet over top of the pillow and rolled over onto her side. “Give me twenty more minutes and I **_might_** think about getting up.” she muttered groggily.

            The three of us stood at the foot of the bed, watching her steady breathing and occasional movement beneath the thin bed sheets. Alice and Tarrant exchanged a look of surrender, but they were still smiling, “Ok, ok…we’ll give you some more time…if we must!” the Hatter sighed with mock impatience.

            “Was that so hard? It’s not so difficult to let me have my way, now is it?” Allyson chuckled.

            “Alright! But as soon as that trumpet sounds, you had better be dressed and out in the courtyard. Got it?” I gave her fair warning that the bugle blast meant **_GET_** **_UP!_**

            She stuck her head out from under the tangled mess on the bed, her hair flying wildly in all directions and her top twisted fifty different ways, “Yes **_mother_** **_dearest_** …I’ll get up when the trumpet plays…it’s kinda hard to sleep through that ya know.” Allyson mumbled sarcastically. I did indeed know that it was nearly impossible to sleep through someone blowing a horn that loud outside your window in the morning.

            “Don’t forget! I will come up here and drag you out!” I teased, tousling her hair even more.

            She batted my hand away, “Boy I wish you would…that’d just make my day.” she threatened jokingly, “I’d knock you upside the head so hard it’d wake up your ancestors! You’ll think rude awakening!”

            “Uh-huh…sure. See you later kiddo.”

            “Urgh.” was the response that I got…she’s **_so_** enthusiastic!

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            Gah! I **_finally_** got those three out of here! Now maybe I can finally get some halfway decent sleep without being **_disturbed_**! Jeez, I didn’t realize how difficult it was to get some shuteye without an audience around here!

            I rolled over to get comfortable again, snuggling deeper into the covers wrapped around me, but now that I’d opened my eyes, it was more difficult to get back to sleep. It seemed no matter how I twisted, turned, rolled, stretched, etc…I couldn’t get situated! “Thanks guys…you got me up, happy now?!” I grumbled, even though none of them could hear my grievances.

            And no sooner did I drag myself off the mattress did the trumpet sound in the courtyard! Of course!

            “Aw, snap! I gotta get dressed!” racing over to the wardrobe where my armor was stored; I hastily threw on the chain mail and retrieved my sword and scabbard from the chair nearby. Not even bothering with a mirror or a comb, I jerked my hair into a loose ponytail and scurried down the hall to the door, not wanting to be late and give McTwisp a run for his money.

            As an impulse, I pulled my blade from the sheath to see if it needed cleaning, and was very startled to find that some…. “ _modifications_ ” had been made whilst I was sleeping. “ ** _Whoa_**! **_Whoa_** … ** _whoa_** …” Instead of a plain steel blade, I now held in my hands a sword that was made of such strikingly brilliant metal, and was decorated with such gorgeous blue gemstones, that it could only be described with one word…

            **_Vorpal_**.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      It couldn’t have been maybe fifteen minutes since we got out to the courtyard that Allyson burst through the door behind us, waving her arms frantically like she was on fire or something, “Just in time…what’s with you?”

            “Dude! Dude! Look at my sword! Look at it!” she panted, “It’s… ** _Vorpal_**!!!! Somebody **_Vorpalized_** it!” she hopped up and down breathlessly, for lack of a better interpretation for her astonishment.

            Tarrant examined the sword, noting the intricate engravings, the eight gemstones embedded in the blade, and the jewel-encrusted tip, “This is Absolem’s handiwork. I haven’t the slightest idea of how he does this…but this is **_definitely_** a Vorpal sword.” he traced the edge with his fingertip, risking a cut from the razor-sharp metal.

            Alice appeared behind him, eyes wide with wonder, “It looks just like the other one almost! They’re both so beautiful…I don’t see why such a gorgeous thing has to be used for killing the Jabberwocky.” she muttered.

            Allyson beamed smugly; she knew Underland history and legends better than most Underlanders, “The original, the one you’re gonna use, was blessed by the Shaman King and Queen Witchdoctor of the Outlands several years ago, specifically outfitted with the power to kill the most fearsome creatures that roam the land. No other sword has the strength, or the supernatural powers needed to slay monsters like the Jabberwocky, because of the power that a rogue Outlandish woman called Drina gave the beasts. The appealing appearance of the sword is just a side effect of the magic…” she finished, taking a moment to catch her breath. That little speech was quite a mouthful!

            “Is that why it’s so sought-after?”

            “Yeah. You wouldn’t want something like **_that_** in your enemy’s hands if all you’ve got is a Jabberwocky and Jubjub Bird. Iracebeth doesn’t stand a chance now that we’ve got **_two_**!” she grinned victoriously.

            Before we could continue our chitchatting, McTwisp pulled out his trumpet and sounded it a second time to call everyone to attention, “Who will step forth, and alongside Allyson, be champion for the White Queen? Have I any volunteers?” he inquired of the crowd.

            “That would be I!” the Hatter replied fearlessly. Alice seemed worried, but didn’t say anything to him about it, even though she obviously didn’t want him to fight.

            Chessur sidled out of the mass, “You have very poor evaporating skills, **_I_** should be the one…” he objected.

            “ _At least I have opposable thumbs…_ ” Hatter mumbled.

            “I’ll do it!” Mallymkun shouted.

            “No! Me!” Tweedledee said.

            “No! **_Me_**!” Tweedledum shoved his brother aside, each of them brandishing toy wooden swords.

            I myself considered volunteering, but I knew Allyson would’ve boxed my ears like it wasn’t anybody’s business if I did, so I kept my mouth shut. She shot me a dirty look to make sure I wasn’t going to say anything, though there wasn’t a need to.

            Mirana motioned for the White Rabbit to unroll the Oraculum, to see if Allyson’s fellow warrior had changed to a different person…no such luck for Alice. She was still there.

            Everyone fell still, “No other slayer, no-how…” Dee sighed.

            “If it ain’t Alice…it ain’t dead…” Dum moaned.

            The White Queen turned to the golden-haired girl next to me, “Alice,” she whispered, just loud enough to hear, “you cannot live your life to please others. This choice must be yours and yours alone, because when the two of you step onto the battlefield, none of us will be able to fight with you. You will step out on your own.” she warned them both.

            Alice glanced down at the parchment, then to Tarrant, to Allyson, and then back out to the group of courtiers before her. Her pale face was contorted with fear, still unable to believe that the fair-haired female knight that was attacking the ferocious Jabberwocky was her, and wishing that it wasn’t. Seemingly overwhelmed by all the pressure on her thin shoulders, she suddenly bolted from the courtyard and ran to the garden behind the castle.

            Allyson tried to race after her, but I grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back, “Let her go…if she’s going with us, then she’ll come back.”

            “But…but if she‘s not…I can‘t do this by myself!”

            “Don’t worry…you’ll be fine…” I promised her, leading her towards the drawbridge where our horses and soldiers were waiting.

            I can only hope that I can keep that promise…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      I just couldn’t take it anymore! It was almost like I was back at the engagement party all over again; everyone’s attention was focused on me, and a life-altering decision was in my hands. I couldn’t take the pressure anymore! How could a girl like me possibly be the one that slays a horrid beast like the Jabberwocky with just a sword, Vorpal or not?

            After pacing back and forth anxiously, I flung myself onto a bench and sobbed uncontrollably. I wished I was back in Overland, in the safety of the Ascot’s backyard, or in our carriage on the way home. Anywhere but here!

            Unaware that I wasn’t alone, I was very startled with I heard Absolem’s voice behind me, “Nothing has ever been accomplished with tears…” he informed me.

            “Absolem, why are you upside down?” he was wrapped in a pure white, silky textured cocoon, suspended from a hedge on the edge of the garden. The top wasn’t enclosed yet, but he was continually weaving the covering from the inside out, working steadily with his many small hands.

            “I’ve come to the end of this life…” he stated bluntly.

            “You’re going to **_die_**?!”

            “ _Transform_.” he corrected me.

            “ _Wait_!” I cried out, “Don’t go! I need your help…I don’t know what to do!” I pleaded for some kind of advice or suggestion, but he didn’t even look up at me.

            “I can’t help someone who doesn’t know who they are, stupid girl.” he grumbled.

            This was the last straw! I’d had quite enough of this ‘ _stupid girl_ ’ business, “I’m **_not stupid_**! My name is Alice, I live in London, my mother’s name is Helen and my sister is Margaret. My father was Charles Kingsleigh…he had a vision that stretched halfway around the world and **_nothing_** ever stopped him!” I ranted, trying to prove my identity, “I’m his daughter! I’m **_Alice_** Kingsleigh!” I declared, more so to myself than the Caterpillar. All these years, I had never realized how much I truly was like my ambitious, daydreaming father. Never had it occurred to me that I really was my father’s child, and that I could do anything I wanted, if I just set my mind and heart to it.

            I could even slay a Jabberwocky…

            “Alice At Last!” Absolem sighed, “Hmph, you were just as naïve **_last_** time you were here…you called this place ‘ _Wonderland’_ , if I remember correctly.” he chuckled.

            “Wonderland?” I echoed, memories suddenly flooding back to me.

            _Falling down the Rabbit Hole, the Hall of Doors, the Garden, the Cheshire Cat, the Tea Party, painting the roses red with the Playing Cards…_ I remembered every bit of it now, as clear as day. I **_had_** been here before! That’s why this place seemed so familiar!

            “It wasn’t a dream after all! It was a memory…this world is **_real_**! And so are you and the Hatter…and Allyson!” I exclaimed happily.

            “And the Jabberwocky…” Absolem solemnly reminded me, “Remember…the Vorpal Sword knows what it wants. All you have to do is hold on……Fairfarren Alice, perhaps I will see you in another life.” he said goodbye as the chrysalis around him closed completely.

            Wiping away my tears, I finally realized what I had to do now…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      My heart was beating a million miles an hour and my palms were soaking with sweat, “She’d better just be putting her armor on really slow…I’m **_not_** doing this on my own!” I growled under my breath as Stayne helped me onto the horse we’d ridden to Marmoreal.

      He pushed me into the saddle, then grabbed the reins and stood at my side, “Relax, why don’t ya? I’m sure she’s coming, she’s probably just nervous like you.” Stayne tried to reassure me.

            I must’ve looked like I was ready to kick him when I turned around, because he backed away slightly when he met my gaze, “ ** _Nervous_** my rear end! Do I look **_nervous_** to you?!”

            “Well…”

            “ _Don’t_ answer that.”

            He snickered, shaking his head, “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.”

            I had my foot reared back to give the Knave a friendly “love tap” on the back of his shoulder when a thunderous rumble from the castle distracted me, along with everyone else, from their pre-battle jitters. The whole group, soldiers and all, whirled around to see what the commotion was, only to be met with the sight we’d all been hoping for…

            Alice sat atop the Bandersnatch, armor glistening in the rising sunlight, Vorpal blade in hand, golden hair flying out behind her. As she made her grand entrance into the courtyard, hundreds of cheers rose from the crowd and many of the Chess Pieces raised their weapons in celebration, for their champion had arrived.

            “Alright Alice!” I waved her over to a position beside us on the front line, “See Stayne? I **_told_** you she’d come! Didn’t I tell you she’d come?” he started to object, but just rolled his eye and shrugged. The Hatter, who was now standing between Ilosovic and the Bandersnatch, smiled at Alice and patted her hand lovingly, both of them obviously happy to be by each other’s side once more. I started to make kissy-faces at them, but Stayne flicked my knee and motioned for me to knock it off before they could notice, “Killjoy…” I muttered.

            The White Queen finally mounted her horse, after all the rejoicing was over and done with, and we began our trek to the battlefield at last.


	20. Chapter 19 - Downal Wyth Bluddy Behg Hid, Once and For All!

We marched toward the battlefield; a whole set of dusty greyish chess pieces, the White Queen in the lead, the Hatter and Alice on her right, the Knave of Hearts and me to her left. Chessur and the others were trudging behind us, shaking nervously, and they didn’t even have to slay the freepin’ Jabberwocky! That was mine and Alice’s job! But, to do said job, I might have to ditch some of this heavy armor first. I can hardly sit up straight on my horse in this metal monkey suit!

            I looked down to my side where Stayne was striding along, his sword clutched tightly in his hand. He looked so different in his new uniform, the alabaster cloth made him seem like another person; not just his looks, but the way he acted changed with his wardrobe. Mirana even replaced his eye patch for him! Of course, I’d run off with his old one and his cape, so he had both of them changed to match his silver and white armor…not that he really minded or anything. The silky cloak and heart-shaped patch were tucked away in my bag back in Marmoreal, along with a few other souvenirs I’d collected, and my cell phone. I don’t really think the middle of this battle would be the best time to be texting or calling anyone, so I set it aside and took up my newly Vorpalized Samurai sword instead.

            “You _sure_ you’re ready for this? What if all this goes haywire and erupts into an all-out fight? I won’t be able to drop everything and save you from those over-sized pieces of scrap metal.” I snickered, referring to the opposing army of red and black playing cards.

            He chuckled and glanced up at me, “To be honest, I could’ve been better prepared if we’d had more time, like you’d said last night, but I suppose I’ll just have to make due with what I’ve got now.” the Knave smirked, “Don’t worry about me. **_I’m_** not the one that has to kill the Jabberwocky.”

            “Ugh, don’t remind me…”

            “You’re not ** _afraid_** , are you?!”

            I laughed defiantly, “Ha! Me, scared? No way! I’m **_not_** scared of that puny flyin’ snake. With this bad boy, I’m gonna turn that thing into a nice pair of boots and a belt.” I directed his attention to the second Vorpal blade in the scabbard at my hip. The sunlight beamed down on the weapon‘s business end, giving it an eerie glow of power, “Do ya think there’ll be enough of him left to make a handbag? Or a hat maybe? Which sounds better?”

            He rolled his eye and laughed, then sighed and furrowed his brow. His smile became a serious grimace, “Don’t get too overconfident. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt, and neither would anyone else.”

            Our army came to a stop midway across a field that looked like a giant checker board. I leaned down and lightly punched his shoulder, “Eh, don’t get your sword in a knot over me. I’ll be alright; trust me.” I tousled some of his hair, just to mess with him one last time before I go off to fight.

            “You still didn’t answer my question.”

            “What do you mean by that?”

            “I asked if you were **_afraid_** of going into this battle…not if you thought you could **_win_** it.”

            I didn’t reply at first; I got sidetracked watching the Red Queen make her entrance, all those black and red playing cards parading over the horizon and her big head **_clearly_** visible front-and-center of the pack ( _no card pun intended_ ). And boy was she… wait a minute… she didn’t look the least bit angry… she actually looked kinda, oh, I dunno, **_sad_**? My eyebrows creased together; I was thoroughly confused, “Ilosovic, does something seem kinda **_odd_** about the way Iracebeth’s behaving right now?”

            “What are you talking about?”

            “Well, she doesn’t look like a fearsome Queen going off to protect her crown in a “glorious” battle; she looks like a little girl who’s lost her puppy. See?” We both focused on her forlorn facial expression, but she wouldn’t even make eye contact with either one of us.

            “Hmm. I guess you’re right.” he mumbled unsympathetically; his gaze grew to be cold and distant as he glared down his former captor.

            “Serves her right for what she’s done to you…” I growled. She didn’t deserve to be happy after everything she put him through before I got here. Not at all.

            Now both of the armies had come to a halt and were staring each other in the eyes competitively. None of the soldiers moved, however, when the two Queens dismounted their horses and met at the halfway point of the valley.

            “Hello Iracebeth…”

            “Hello… **_Miwana_**.”

            The White Rabbit stood between the royal sisters, sounded the trumpet to call order to this meeting, “On this, the Frabjous Day, the Queens; Red and White, shall send forth their champions to do battle on their behalf!” he exclaimed.

            The White Queen’s eyes began to water and her lip was trembling, “Oh ‘Racie, we don’t have to fight like this…” she wept. It seemed as though the Red Queen might give up, given she had nearly the same depressed air about her, but oh no; she wasn’t surrendering without the fight we all came to see.

            “I know exactly what you’re doing. You think you can blink those pretty little eyes of yours, and I’ll melt just like Mummy and Daddy did.” she snarled at her younger sibling.

            “Please, sister…” she held out her pale arms for the crown that was rightfully hers, begging for peace.

            “ **NO _! IT IS_ MY _CROWN!_ I _AM THE_ ELDEST**!” Iracebeth shrieked. As she turned to face the direction she had come from, she shouted the last word any of us wanted to hear, “ ** _JABBERWOCKY_**!!!!!!!”

            I gulped. This was it. The big moment had come.

            Alice slid off the Bandersnatch’s back to stand next to the Hatter; I followed her example, hopping off the horse, and the Knave and I joined them at the front of the military outfit.

            At first, it was a dull cracking noise somewhere off in the distance, like a faraway bolt of lightening. Then it got louder and louder, I still couldn’t see the beast though, “Where is the darn thing?” I asked no one in particular. Nobody replied.

            As the White Queen retreated, the Jabberwocky raised its ugly head above the receding tree line and roared, sending shivers down our spines. Alice stared across the void at the monstrous creature, obviously petrified by what lay ahead for the two of us, “This is **_impossible_** …” she moaned.

            Tarrant leaned over and whispered “Only if you believe it is.”

            Alice took this to heart, “I sometimes believe six impossible things before breakfast!”

            “Not to toot my own horn,” I interjected, “but **_I_** usually believe in **_seven_** impossible things before breakfast.”

            “That is an **_excellent_** practice!” the Hatter commended us, “However, just at the moment… you really might want to focus on the ** _Jabberwocky_**.” he nodded towards our jumbo-sized opponent.

            I turned to the Knave, “You wanted know if I’m scared, Stayne?”

            He nodded.

            “I’m not scared…” my whole body shivered as the dragon let out a bloodcurdling yowl, “I’m _terrified_ …”

            “Don’t worry,” his hand was on my shoulder trying to comfort me, “you’ll be fine. Just relax. And…win…”

            I took in a deep breath and grabbed the handle on my sword, “Alright Alice, let’s whack this ‘Wocky!" We put up our shields in front of us, unsheathed our daggers and came to stand behind Mirana. My comrade was starting to get cold feet, but mine were itching to get this party started. Casting a long last glance at the boys, I swallowed hard brushed my bangs out of my face for the umpteenth time this morning.

            The Red Queen swiveled back to face us, “Where’s **_your_** champion sister?” she sneered. She was a **_little_** surprised when both of us stepped forward, to say the least anyhow, “How do you have two people to fight for you? There’s only one Vorpal Sword!”

            “Oh, I wouldn’t bet on that.” I held up my weapon, “Surprise!”

            “But…but, you can’t have two champions if I only have one!” she whined. Such a baby!

            “Iracebeth, that **_thing_** makes up at least twenty of **_both_** of us. I don’t really think we have the advantage here.” I shot back, “And besides… McTwisp said ‘ _they will send forth **champions** to do battle on their behalf_’’, he didn’t, however, say how many champions to send forth for either side…now did he?” She didn’t say anything back, the Red Queen only backed out of the dragon’s way. The beast hissed hungrily, and opened his slobbery foul-smelling jaws to reveal three rows of shark-like teeth.

            “ ** _Seven_** impossible things, count them…” Alice told herself, “One; there’s a potion that can make you shrink.” she strode up to the Jabberwocky.

            “Two; and a cake that can make you grow.” I chimed in. She cast a nervous glance to me before meeting eye to eye with our target.

            “Ssso my old foe, we meet on the battle field once again!” he rasped in a voice that made my skin crawl. “I sssee you’ve brought along your sssister too… _well_!”

            “We’ve never met…” Alice tried to sound brave, but I could hear a waver in her courage.

            “And we’re not sisters.”

            “Not **_you_** insignificant bearers! My ancient enemies, the **_Vorpal_** ones…”

            I was at the end of my rope; time to go! “That’s enough chitchat! Alright big fella, let’s do this!” I commanded impatiently. His tongue shot towards me, but I deflected it by cutting it off altogether. It landed on the ground nearby and began wriggling all over the place, “Ew…now that’s just nasty!” I gagged. Now all he could do was burble nonsensically.

            Alice took the front side of the brute as I headed for the rear, slashing wildly with my sword the whole way. He turned his attention to me, snapping his jaws and trying to grab me with his claws. His tail swung around behind him as he chased me about the battlefield, knocking my fellow fighter to the ground and nearly taking out both armies in the process. Even with the wind blown right out of her, Alice managed to mutter, “Three; animals can talk.”

            “Four;” I began, but I had to roll out of the way of his foot so I wouldn’t get squashed, “Cats can disappear.” The Jabberwocky’s tail went for Alice again, but she dodged it this time, then it came for me, “Whoa!”

            “Five; there’s a place called Wonderland.” she grunted firmly. He swiped at her with his talons, but she blocked them with a _clang_ of her sword.

            “Six;” I looked at the Knave, poised to fight if need be. He smiled back, still clearly worried about the two of us fighting for everyone else’s freedom, “People can change for the better.” I took a deep breath as I closed my eyes and stood still, just like Alice was.

            All the fear was gone from her face, replaced by fierce determination. She had finally figured out the seventh impossible thing.

            “Seven; **_we_** can slay the Jabberwocky!!!” we cried in unison. Our swords flew everywhere, fury fueling the rampage. Surprised by the ferocity of our attack, the creature jumped back, and then lashed out to ward us off. It didn’t do him any good; he couldn’t watch both of us at all times. The brawl had really begun.

            While going after me headfirst, the Jabberwocky’s tail sent Alice flying a good ten yards in the opposite direction of her Vorpal Sword, then he did the same to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Knave and Hatter raise their swords, “ _Boys, **now** is not the time for **arguing**!_” I thought to myself. It wasn’t until the ‘Wocky screeched in pain that I realized that they had both stabbed it in the tail. With the behemoth distracted, I retrieved my sword and waited for the right moment to attack.

            “The Knave and the Hatter are interfering!!!!!!” howled Iracebeth, “ ** _OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!!!!!_** ” The red and white guards on each side suddenly burst into motion, running towards other with weapons drawn and battle cries raging. The guys exchanged mischievous smirks, rushed into the skirmish, and, standing back to back, commenced to whooping anything and everything that got close enough.

            Bayard, Bielle, and Mallymkun ganged up on the Jubjub bird, wielding their teeth and her hatpin against its enormous beak.

            The Bandersnatch was like a massive wrecking ball, taking out a whole line of Cards and triggering the catapult. The projectile went soaring through the air……right onto the head of the half eagle, half ostrich about to eat the bloodhounds and the Dormouse. Oh, the irony!

            The Cheshire Cat was up to no good, as usual, disappearing and reappearing all over the place, causing mass confusion amongst the Red crowd. He even made a few of them strike each other accidentally; it was rather humorous actually, if I do say so myself.

            Tweedledee and Tweedledum were stacked on top of each other, fighting in perfect harmony, nary an argument or contradiction to be heard between them. The March Hare eventually shook of his paralysis and began flinging everything in sight like the lunatic that he was, taking out guards right and left. The White Rabbit was too busy hiding in the trunk of an old tree to be of any use… the lily-livered rabbit.

            But the climax of the clash was still betwixt me, Alice and the Jabberwock; we didn’t have time to supervise what our friends had gotten into. We attacked with powerful thrusts, swipes and uppercuts, but he was not so easily beaten. I raced up the stairwell of the dilapidated tower ahead of Alice and turned just in time to see her knocked off her feet. When the thing came for me, I somehow managed to cut out one of his teeth and wedge it into the wall. It reeled in pain, still snapping at the two of us as we raced to the peak of the tower. The dragon’s neck snaked past us just long enough for my sister soldier to jump on his back. Surprisingly, he didn’t try to throw her off - he didn’t even notice her walking towards his hideous head. The Jabberwocky was too busy trying to gobble me up, sword and all! “Here Snaky, Snaky, Snaky…” I coaxed him closer to the edge of the drop-off.

             Just as he reared his ugly head to swallow me whole, Alice flew into the air, Vorpal Sword gleaming in the sunlight, “OFF WITH **_YOUR_** HEAD!” she bellowed as the blade sliced through his neck. The sickening thud of his head rolling down the steps sent a wave of silence and stillness throughout the warring parties. No one moved. No one spoke.

            The animal’s body crashed into the ocean below us, while its head landed at the Red Queen’s feet. Iracebeth stared in horror at the remnants of the corpse of her beloved monster before shouting, “ ** _KILL THEM_**!” at the top of her lungs and pointing her scepter at us.

            One of her Knights, a 7, puffed up defiantly, “We follow you no more… _Bloody Big Head_ …”

            “How **_dare_** you! **_Off with his head!_** ”

            “Not going to work any more ‘ **Racie**.” the Knave snarled menacingly. She spun around, watching as every knight in the clearing disarmed himself in rebellion. Then, to rub even more salt in the wound, “her” crown began to lift off her head and float to her sister’s. Chessur appeared, and gently laid it on Mirana’s head, transferring the power from one Queen to the other.

            I hugged Alice tightly, “We did it! We did it!”

            “Yeah, we did.” arm in arm, we slowly descended the stairs to see what was going on.

            “Iracebeth of Crims, your crimes against the people of Underland are worthy of **_death_**. _However_ , that is against my vows. Therefore, you are to be banished to the Outlands. No one is to show you any kindness, or **_ever_** speak a word to you. _You will not have a friend in the world_ …” the White Queen said coldly. Her sister’s lip began to quiver and I could see tears forming in her eyes.

            “Majesty? I hope you bear _me_ no ill will…” the Knave nervously stood next to the new ruler.

            She smiled warmly, laying her hand on his shoulder as best she could ( _she could barely reach it because he was 7 ½ feet tall and she was only 5'5"_ ). “Of course not. Actually…” Mirana motioned for me and Alice to join them at the foot of the stairs. We all three stood side by side, the Knave squeezed me closer to him and congratulated us for freeing Underland but he only smiled at Alice ( _I guess he’s decided to take it easy around “Um”_ _here from now on_ ). “Ilosovic Stayne, I know you’ve waited many a year for this moment. Kneel on one knee, please…and hand me your sword, Allyson.”

            I gave her my sword, grinning because I knew what she was doing. She was going to make the Knave of Hearts the **_Knight_** of Hearts. He was glowing with pride; I could almost see him shaking with anticipation, “For your efforts on the behalf of the Resistance since its beginning, and your undying loyalty to the White Court, I hereby grant thee full amnesty for all crimes committed prior to this day and now give you the title of Sir Ilosovic Stayne, the **_Knight_** of Hearts.” she tapped each shoulder with the end of the sword and handed it back to me. A cheer erupted from all sides, everyone was celebrating his new rank, “And furthermore, I appoint you as Captain of my army.” Mirana added. More cheering sounded from the crowd.

            The next thing I knew, I was up on top of his shoulders, waving to the soldiers gathered around us, “I couldn’t have done all this without you…” Stayne looked up at me.

            “Pssht…You did most of it without me.” I reminded him of all the things he’d accomplished before I arrived, “I just came along to give you a little… ** _motivation_**.” I winked; he knew exactly what I meant.

            “ ** _NO!_** This can’t be happening! This isn’t right!” the Red Queen screamed vehemently. “You were supposed to be with **_me_** Stayne! **ME**! Not them! **_Traitor_**! I thought you **_loved_** me…” she was flat out crying now.

            “I’ve told you once and I’ll tell you again…I wouldn’t be with **_you_** if my very **_life_** depended on it.”

            Alice suddenly turned towards him, the words sparking a memory of long ago, “ _Ilosovic…_ I remember you now, from the first time I was here… I …helped you escape the Red Queen’s castle.” her hazel eyes met with his brown, “You saved my life…”

            “And _you_ saved _mine_ …I was wondering when you’d remember me Alice.” they shared to first genuine smile between them I’d seen since I got here.

            The Hatter had wandered off somewhere amidst all the commotion, and nobody noticed until he called out, “Oh the Frabjous Day! Callou! Callay!” Tarrant sang as he began to dance.

            “What is he **_doing_**?” Alice asked, obviously amused.

            The Knight, Chessur and I answered, “Futterwacken.”

            “Can you do that Stayne?” I asked.

            “Well, I tried it once…almost broke my neck.”

            “Ah. What was the occasion?”

            “I uh…lost a bet…”

            “With who?” Alice must’ve thought it was pretty funny.

            “Your little friend Tarrant over there and his cousins.” he rolled his eyes and chuckled, “ _It was mostly Luna’s idea_.” he sighed wistfully.

            I squeezed his neck and put my hand on his shoulder, “I’m sorry…”

            “It’s alright…”

            The Hatter bowed as he finished his dance of unbridled joy, placing his hat back on his head and coming to stand next to Alice. He affectionately put his arm around her and she leaned against him, returning the embrace.

            Mirana knelt by the body of the lifeless Jabberwocky and caught some of its blood in two small glass vials. As she handed one to Alice and one to me, Tarrant’s grip loosened on her thin body, and the smile vanished from his face. He knew what was coming, just like the rest of us did, “The blood of the Jabberwocky…You have our everlasting gratitude, and for all that you’ve done, I give you this.”

            “Will this take me home?” she held the strange liquid up to the light, shocked by its odd coloration.

            “If that is what you wish…” the White Queen replied.

            She whirled around, taking one last look at all of us, and then she popped the lid to the vial open. She lifted it up to her lips, but stopped when the Hatter put his hand in hers, “You could stay…” he offered. I could tell by the look she gave him that she wanted to, but her pained expression said that she couldn’t.

            “What an idea! A crazy, mad, **_wonderful_** idea…But, I can’t… not now. I’ve got questions I have to answer; things I have to do.” she twined her fingers with his. They stared into each other’s eyes for the longest time; I almost couldn’t stand the suspense.

            I finally got fed up with them dodging the inevitable, so I spoke up, “Hatter…” I laughed at the confused stare he was giving me, “Just kiss her. We all know you want to; go ahead. Go on! Hop to it! C’mon man, let’s go! We ain’t got all day ya know!”

            “But…”

            “Uh-uh! Shh! Not another word! Look, it’s either kiss Alice or kiss **_Stayne_** over here. You choose.” I snickered. The Knight glared down at me, but his smile gave him away, “I’ll hold him down for you if he tries to run…” I acted like I was ready to tackle Ilosovic at any given moment.

            Everybody doubled over laughing except for Alice and Tarrant, who finally leaned forward and pressed their lips together.

            The two lovebirds cuddled again, and then she sauntered over to me, “I’ll miss you Allyson. You’ve helped me a lot here…and you’ve been a good friend.” Alice got all teary-eyed as she hugged me close.

            “Oh stop it! You’re gonna make me cry! I’ve got a reputation to hold up here! I’ll miss you too Alice. You’re a great girl; I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you, or ever will.” I winked at her when she pulled away, “Tarrant’s a lucky guy. Don’t forget about him, ok? I know you’ve probably got guys throwing themselves at your feet and all * _cough_ * **Stayne** * _cough*_ … but Hatter’s a real catch.”

            She pushed some of my hair out of my face, “Don’t worry; I’ll keep him in mind. Try not to give Stayne so much grief, deal?” she joked.

            “I’ll give it a shot, but I’m not making any promises…”

            “ ** _I heard that_**!”

            “What!? I’m **_kidding_**! Jeez!”

            We had our hysterics once more before our heroine said her final farewell. Much to everyone’s surprise, she hugged the Knight goodbye, “Ilosovic, do you think you can handle these two while I’m gone?”

            “I’ll do what I can, but if they get out of hand, I’ll send McTwisp for you!” he joked.

            She pulled away from the him and once again embraced the Hatter, “Don’t worry Tarrant, I’ll be back again before you know it…” she promised him, laying her head on his shoulder and taking his hands.

            “You won’t remember me…”

            “Don’t say that. Yes I will.” she looked up at him, “Hatter, why **_is_** a raven like a writing desk?” she inquired.

            “I haven’t the slightest idea…” he leaned in, and I thought he was going to kiss her again, “ _Fairfarren Alice_.” he whispered as she began to fade away. When she was completely gone, there was a long, awkward silence.


	21. Chapter 20 - Parting is Not-So-Sweet Sorrow

"Well…now what?” I kicked a stone and it skidded to a stop at the foot of the stairs. I chased after it, running back up to where I had jammed the Jabberwocky’s tooth into the grey bricks and pulling it out. Tossing it up and down in my hand, I skipped back down the steps with my trophy.

            “I guess we just…wait for her to come back…like she promised…” the Hatter muttered, still staring at the place she used to be.

            “We must go home to await her return.” said the White Queen. “But, in the meanwhile, there’ll be a grand ball in Marmoreal to celebrate the defeat of the Jabberwocky! You are all more than welcome to join us.” she turned to me, “Will you be able to make it?”

            I shrugged, “ ** _No_** time was passing in my world while I’m down here, **_right_**?”

            “Yes…”

            “Well then, I suppose I could stay until the party’s over… ** _if_** you‘ll have me Majesty.”

            “Of course! You may stay as long as you like.”

            “Alright! Oh, by the way Ilosovic, you can ride the horse back to the castle…”

            He gave me a funny look, “You’re not going to **_walk_** back, are you?”

            “Nope. I’m riding the Bandersnatch.” I grinned playfully, “I’ll race you back.”

            He did the same, “You’re on!” Stayne leapt onto the stallion and galloped after me, the two of us thundering through the crowd. I could still hear the others giggling at our antics, even over the deafening boom of hooves and enormous paws.

**_\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -_ **

I beat him by a long shot; he was at least twenty yards behind me when I bounded through the gates on Mirana’s new guard dog. I hopped off the big fuzz ball and led him into his stable, “Good boy!” I scratched him behind his rather tiny ear and patted him on the head. His giant, slobbering tongue coated me with Bandersnatch saliva…ick! “Gee, thanks Fluffy…” I wiped it out of my eyes and off my mouth.

            “ _Whuff!_ ”

            Stayne trotted up on his horse, both panting from trying to keep up with me, “What took you so long slowpoke?” I teased. He stuck his tongue out at me and rolled his eye. “Don’t get mad at me! It’s not my fault you’re slower than Christmas!”

            He snickered, “Ha-ha, very funny!”

            “Yeah, I know I am!” we nearly collapsed into heaps of giggles until we saw the rest of our friends ride across the drawbridge. He put his horse in its stall and we headed out to meet with the others, “The saddest thing is that I never even broke a sweat and you’re about to pass out any second.”

            “You aren’t going to let me forget this are you?”

            “No sir, I most am certainly **_not_**!” I snickered again. The White Queen caught wind of our playful banter, so she needn’t ask who won the race.

            I told everybody all about it anyway.

            “Oh man, Chessur! You should’ve seen it! I was a mile ahead of him the whole way here! He didn’t have a prayer against me Mally!” I boasted all over the palace until Stayne threatened to throw me in the lake if I didn’t stop. I knew he wouldn’t, but I was going to be true to my word to Alice and not give him such a hard time…for **_now_** anyway…

            Tarrant was the last to come over the bridge, his downcast eyes and sullen face turned to the ground as he walked. His clothes were darker than I’d ever seen them, his arms drooped to his side numbly; he glanced over his shoulder to the horizon where the sun was setting quietly. Ilosovic nodded to me when he too noticed the Hatter’s gloomy disposition, then followed the rest of the crowd inside to get ready for the party.

            “Hatter?” I put my hand on his shoulder to stop him, but he wouldn’t look at me, “Are you ok?”

            “Y-yes…I’m fine…” he choked back the tears forming in the corner of his eyes, “I’m alright.”

            I shook him gently until his eyes met mine, “Now see here Tarrant Hightopp…you might fool all of **_them_** , but **_I_** didn’t just fall off the apple cart last night you know!” I reminded him, “Look, I know you’re going to miss her; I will too. There’s no use in sulking about it though… Alice wouldn’t want to see you like this, would she?”

            He looked away again, “No…no she wouldn’t.” he sighed listlessly.

            “That’s what I thought!” I smiled a contagious grin that he returned, “Now perk up, would ya? We’ve got a ball to go to!” and with that, we swept into the hall and joined the decorating crew as they hustled and bustled around the castle.

            This was gonna be good!

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      It didn’t take long for the party to get going once everyone was inside and had changed out of their armor and such. Very few decorations were needed to beautify the already breathtaking ballroom, and the band was already set up by the time everybody walked in.

            We didn’t even think about food or anything, despite the fact we’d just fought one of the biggest battles in Underland history, we were far too ecstatic about our victory and the overthrowing of the Red Queen to even notice our growling stomachs. Every person present grabbed a partner and floated onto the dance floor, except for Tarrant and Mirana, who stood by and watched contentedly, “It’s so wonderful to have everyone safe and home again…”she sighed.

            “Indeed it is Majesty.” agreed the half-visible Cheshire Cat.

            The Hatter held his hat over his heart, lost in his own little world, more than likely thinking of Alice…whilst the Dormouse perched on top of it and leaned back against him, obviously glad that her “competition” was gone for awhile, and that she had him all to herself temporarily. He smiled down at her, and she smiled back, both blissfully unaware of what the other was thinking.

            I, meanwhile, had changed into a flowing white and silver dress with a black corseted bodice and some white boots, like the ones Alice had on in the Hall of Doors, and was _attempting_ to dance a quadrille with Stayne.

            Needless to say, the height difference between us was a bit of a problem.

            I barely came up to his chest, and my arms could hardly get up to his shoulders for the waltz, “You may be a master swordsman Allyson, but you have two left feet!” he teased.

            I stuck my tongue out at him, “Hey, I may need dance lessons, but at least **_I_** don’t get beat up by little girls half my size!” I shot back, “And technically this is **_your_** fault; if you were about two and a half feet shorter, I wouldn’t have to step on your toes to reach you!” we both laughed at my tiny feet overlapping his, the only thing keeping me in sync with his movements.

            “Touché…” he snickered.

            “I really don’t think a change in **_tallness_** would help me much though…”

            “Why’s that?”

            “I can’t dance anyway.” I admitted. I probably could have if I wanted to, but I was too exhausted to put forth a whole lot of effort in that department. Stayne was pretty much the only thing holding me up at the moment, I was so tired.

            Stayne swept me out of the crowd of dancers, and we laughed the whole way out to the topiary garden, where we had talked the night before. He took a seat in the white wicker swing, watching as I pulled the tight knee-high boots off and skipped through the satin-soft grass near the lake. There were hundreds of fireflies dancing across the sky, mixing their gold light with the silver shining of the stars and the moon. White flower petals soared away on a breeze, blowing out onto the still surface of the pond, making it look like tiny snow flurries on top of ice.

            “Man…I wish I could stay here forever…” I sighed wistfully, sprawling out on the lawn, turning my gaze to Ilosovic.

            “You could if you want to…you know that.” he reminded me. I also knew that it wasn’t that simple…

            “I **_could_** but…who would run the band back home? I can’t leave all that behind just yet. There’s just too much going on with me up there.” I rolled over onto my stomach and rested my head in the crook of my arm, “If it wasn’t for that, I **_would_** stay…but…”

            He smiled sadly, “I know…it’s too bad all of your friends aren’t already here.” he paused for a moment, “ ** _Can_** all of you be down here at once?”

            “Yeah, we’ve never done it before though.” I shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t think Underland could handle all seven of us in the same place at one time…that would be like the Apocalypse or something. The whole place would implode from all the insanity.”

            We both chuckled at the thought of all of the “Wonderland Warriors” here in Marmoreal, “Speaking of friends…what made you get so friendly at Iracebeth’s castle?”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Well…I guess what I’m trying to ask is…” he stopped to take a deep breath, “why did you save me?”

            I pondered it for a minute; why **_did_** I rescue him? We weren’t exactly best buddies before we left, so what had it mattered to me if he’d made it out of there or not?

            “I dunno…I guess because I would’ve wanted somebody to bail me out if I was in that situation. I couldn’t just **_leave_** you there…I **_had_** to do **_something_**!” Maybe it was because I felt sorry for him…or because I knew he wouldn’t get himself out of there without my help. Either way, I couldn’t have abandoned him in that castle. He wouldn’t have made it…he would’ve ended up suffering the same fate as Iracebeth if I hadn’t stood up for him and got him to leave.

            “Not saying that it matters why,” he added quickly, “I was…just wondering.”

            “It’s ok. I was actually reflecting on it myself…I really don’t know what made me do it.” we sat in a long silence after that, trying to puzzle out how we went from adversaries to allies so quickly, but mostly why.

            I mean, it’s not that I didn’t want to be friends or anything…Stayne’s not all that bad, once you get to know him. It’s just that I don’t get how two people that are so different, and that did not get along at **_all_** when they met, could be such tight-knit comrades after only a few days of really knowing each other. It just doesn’t make any sense!

            He pushed the swing off with his foot, rocking slowly back and forth, “One of life’s great mysteries, I suppose…”he mused quietly.

            “Yeah…I guess so.” I agreed, “Ya know…I’m actually kinda glad I rescued you.”

            “Oh you **_are_**?” he raised his eyebrow suspiciously.

            “Mmhmm. Now at least I have someone to pick on that will actually react!” I winked jokingly; both of us knew that wasn’t _exactly_ why I’d pulled him out of there. It was pretty close though, I’m certain.

            “Yeah, yeah, I’m **_positive_** that’s why you dragged me here. **_Definitely_**.”

            “Maybe not…but hey, it’s an added bonus!”

            “I’m sure it is.”

            I hopped onto my feet and sashayed over to the swing, “Well, maybe not for **_you_** …but…” I grinned, laying my head against his shoulder and hooking arms with him. The two of us stared off into the distance for some while after that in silence, each lost in their own train of thought.

            We sat there for the longest time before it dawned on us that we weren’t alone; the White Queen, Hatter, Chess, Mally, the March Hare and McTwisp were all standing behind us. No one had bothered to break the stillness, so it wasn’t until I caught a glimpse of Tarrant’s shadow that I noticed our company.

            “Oh, hey guys.” I yawned. It must be getting late, because I was getting sleepy.

            “I was wondering where you two had snuck off to. We thought you might be out here; it’s very pleasant out tonight, isn’t it?” Mirana smiled sweetly at the warm nighttime atmosphere. I would’ve nodded in agreement, if I hadn’t been nodding off.

            “Alright kiddo, you’d better get to bed before you fall over out here.” Ilosovic roused me from my near-sleep state and was about to walk me back to the bedroom I’d slept in last night, when I noticed a strange, blue shape fluttering towards us from out of the corner of my eye.

            I blinked a few times, thinking that my drowsiness was making me hallucinate, but when it didn’t go away I realized I wasn’t seeing things. Then it hit me, “Absolem? Is that you?” when I extended my finger, the cerulean form landed on the tip and glanced up at me with tiny, azure eyes.

            He had made his transformation. He was no longer the Caterpillar, but the Butterfly.

            “Well, well! Don’t we look pretty tonight?” I cooed, hazy from need for sleep. His onyx and sapphire wings were truly beautiful in the silvery-white moonlight; just like the rest of the castle, Absolem gave off a dreamlike glow with the navy blue sky as the background. It was starting to come over me how Alice could’ve thought that this was all just a figment of her imagination…

            “Why thank you dear.” he said appreciatively, “And my sincere congratulations on helping slay the Jabberwock, and freeing Stayne of Iracebeth. Without you and Alice, this world would lie in ruins now.” he added solemnly.

            I blushed at the compliment, “Well, I don’t know about all of **_that_** , but…you‘re welcome.”

             He smiled only briefly, then returned his grave expression, “I’m afraid, however, that I have some bad news…” he lowered his attention to the palm of my hand, “Allyson…it’s…. almost time for you to return home…” he heaved a long sigh, gazing up at me with the most piteous look in his eyes.

            “What?! Now?!” I stood in disbelief, staring down at the tiny insect in shock, “But…but why?” I wailed.

            He put his tiny hands up defensively, “You have until morning. If you don’t leave by then, you’ll be trapped. The Jabberwocky blood doesn’t last very long, and that’s your only way home…unless you **_intend_** to live here.” he raised his eyebrow, like he was _suggesting_ that I stay.

            Rolling my eyes, I put him on a leaf on a nearby bush and walked away, “We’ve already discussed this Absolem. I’m not deciding until I’m older, and that’s that. No ifs, ands or buts about it.” huffing angrily, I exclaimed, “Period. End of conversation.” before he or anyone else could object.

            Absolem rose up to his full height -all three inches of it- and called me back, “You know that staying here would cause no problems for you. No one in Overland would remember you, if you chose to stay, because their memory would be erased. It would be like you never exist-”

            “ ** _THAT’S_** the problem! I have an **_issue_** with being **_FORGOTTEN_**! I **_DON’T_** do it! It’s **_NOT_** my thing!” I exploded, turning a fiery glare on the Monarch Butterfly, “Some friend **_you_** are! You’re over here trying to get me to leave my **_entire life_** behind! I mean…it’s bad **_enough_** to be forgotten after you die, but to be unremembered while you’re still **_alive_** and well is another thing **_entirely_**!” I stormed off, running full speed into my now empty room as soon as I was out of sight of the others. Tears once again started pouring from my eyes, staining the alabaster floor grey.

            I threw myself onto the bed, bawling hysterically and clutching the pillow in front of me. I curled into a ball, wishing I could just fall asleep and forget what he had just said…

            _It would be like you never existed………_

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            “Of all the selfish, inconsiderate, insensitive…I cannot **_believe_** Absolem just said that to her!” I shook my head, “She’s only **_fourteen_** , how could he expect her to make such a life-altering choice like that? This is ridiculous!” the Hatter mumbled something in agreement.

            Mirana had shooed the Butterfly off as soon as Allyson had taken to her heels and ran off into the castle, and she was now silently fuming as she stood on the balcony, “Indeed it is. I’ve never in all my life heard him say anything of that sort to anyone.”

            “She’s right.” Chessur growled, “That was a bit much, even for him.”

            “He shouldn’t have been so nonchalant about it. It’s not easy to walk out of your own life, and he should know that.” Mally castigated the former Caterpillar.

            McTwisp stiffened himself agitatedly, “I have a strong suspicion that all that smoking has finally gone to his mind…or what little appears to be left of it.” he snipped.

            The March Hare wrung his paws and ears, uneasy with all the tension in the air, “S-Stayne, ya might wanna go check on her. She might’ve already drunk the Ja-Jabberwocky blood!” he voiced a fear that had crept into the back of my mind.

            Everyone exchanged worried glances, “She wouldn’t…would she? She hasn’t…has she?”

            Without a word of warning to the others, I jumped up and raced to the doorway of her room, expecting to find it empty…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Thankfully, she was still there. She was crying her eyes out over something that I would never let happen. I do want her to stay -we all do, of course- but not at the cost of her family and friends in Overland. None of us, save for Absolem apparently, would ask something so great of her…

      “Allyson? Hey, are you ok?”

            She sniffled, sounding so tiny and frightened, “No…” she whimpered, “I don’t want to be forgotten, Ilosovic…I can’t do it, I just can’t!”

            I shuffled inside and closed the door quietly, treading noiselessly over to the bedside, “Don’t worry, you won’t be. We won’t allow it.” I smoothed her hair over her ear and wiped some of the tears away, “I don’t think even the most powerful magic in Underland could make anyone forget you. It would take a lot to make **_me_** not remember the girl that saved my life.” she smiled a little, but continued shedding tears just the same.

            “It’s not y’all down here I’m worried about,” she snuffled, “it’s everyone back home. They wouldn’t remember me. They’d forget…everything would just go on without me…like I was never there.” she sat up and hugged her knees to her chest.

            I sat down at the edge of the mattress and pulled her closer to me, “I know…I know it’s scary. But you don’t have to make that decision just yet…you still have a good way to go before that moment comes.” I reminded her. From what I could gather, she had until she was twenty-one to make up her mind of whether she was going to live here forever or leave and never come back.

            “Seven years will go by fast, Stayne. It’s not all that long.”

            “But at least it’s more time than just one night. Just don’t think about it and get a little sleep, ok? You’ll have to get up kinda early to go home.” pulling away, I grabbed the covers and tugged them over her.

            She gave me the most heartbreaking look as I walked away; like she’d just been abandoned in the Tulgey Woods at night with no way out, and I felt so guilty for just leaving her in there alone. Now that Alice was gone, she’d be by herself all night, which probably wasn’t going to make leaving any easier for her.

            “Goodnight Allyson…"

            “I’d hardly call it that.” she rolled over with her back to me, and I can only assume that that was when she went to sleep.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      I didn’t get **_any_** sleep during that night…it was almost as nerve-racking as the night before the first day of school; you don’t know what’s going to happen when you get up and go, so you’re too nervous to close your eyes. And, as always, by the time you calm down enough to get rested, it’s time to get up.

            However, I wasn’t anxious, I was incensed.

            After Stayne had left last night, I stayed awake, staring up at the ceiling and brooding, for lack of anything else to do at that hour of the night. Absolem had dared to try and come in the room later on, but I had closed the balcony doors and drawn the shades on all the windows, covering my head with my sheets in case he managed - _which he did_ \- to get through somehow.

            The Butterfly alighted on the nightstand near the bed, “Allyson, I know you’re angry with me, but you must realize that you will be facing the choice I gave you sooner than you think. I didn’t mean to be so harsh about it, but…” he must’ve comprehended that I wasn’t going to respond, so he gave up and flitted back outside.

            I laid there and watched the sunrise of my last day here in Underland, for now that is. I knew that this goodbye wasn’t forever, but after everything that’s happened these past few days, that’s how it’s going to seem…

            Like eternity……

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The White Queen had sent me to fetch Allyson from her room, hoping that if she were in a bad mood, maybe I could cheer her up before she leaves. Much to my surprise, she was already wide awake when I stepped in, almost like she was expecting me…but her expression was like that of a prisoner awaiting the executioner instead of a young girl anticipating a visit from a friend.

            “You ready?” I tried to sound chipper, but failed unquestionably, sounding as unhappy as I probably looked.

            She sighed exasperatedly, “As I’ll ever be.” she grumbled. She didn’t glare directly at me, but I could still feel the heat of her eyes radiating in every direction.

            “Alright then…let’s go.” I lead her out the hallway and into the courtyard where we’d stood yesterday to prepare for the Frabjous Day. Once again, everyone, except for Absolem - _to whom it’d been **strongly** recommended to stay **out** of this_\- was gathered on the cobblestone to say our final goodbyes.

            Our younger heroine gave tearful hugs, and promises to be back as soon as possible. None of us wanted her to drink the Jabberwocky blood…we didn’t want her to leave, but she couldn’t stay until she was older.

            Correction…she **_wouldn’t_** stay until she was older. No matter how badly she wanted to, she was going to make herself wait until she was twenty-one to move down here permanently… if she was going to do it then. A lot can happen in seven years, and she could change her mind.

            She, at last, came to me. I had to kneel down to embrace her for the last time, which brought us to a near-equal height.

            She sniffled a little, wrapping her arms around my neck, “I’m g-gonna miss y-you Stayne…” she sobbed into my shoulder.

            “I’ll miss you too…” I couldn’t help but cry, knowing that it may be months or years before I ever get to see her again. Time could be so unpredictable around here…I might not get to see her a second time! This may be the last time I ever get to see and speak to the girl I now think of as the little sister I never had the chance to have…

            She pulled away from the embrace, smiling slightly through her tears, “Aw, what’re we cryin’ about?” Allyson tried to cheer herself and me up, “I’m comin’ back…I promise…” she vowed, not knowing whether or not she could hold true to her word. None of us knew if she could. Not even Absolem himself.

            Not wanting to get her riled up about anything else, I agreed, “I know…but I don’t want you to forget me while you’re gone…” reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the one thing I’d taken from Iracebeth’s castle other than the clothes on my back.

            The locket.

            Allyson wiped some of her tears away and giggled, not yet noticing the necklace, “Yeah, right…like I could forget -oh!” she gazed at the silver heart pendant in awe, “Is…is that…?”

            “Yeah, it used to be Luna’s, but…it’s yours now…”

            She shook her head, “No, no Ilosovic…I…I can’t. It means so much to you and-”

            “That's why I’m giving it to you. It’s not like she’s coming back for it so…” I stopped myself before the waterworks could start up again. I hadn’t cried this much since I lost Luna that day…and I know that tears won’t bring her back or keep Allyson from leaving, so there’s really no need for them.

            Realizing that time was running out for our farewells, she took the locket in her hand, then clasped it around her neck, “It’s beautiful…” she opened it to reveal the clock hidden inside…and something else I’d totally forgotten about…

            On the inside of the lid, carved in cursive, was the nickname Luna had given me all those years ago because, even **_I_** will admit, my first name is a bit of a mouthful…

        ‘Loci  

            She squinted at the tiny writing, “’Loci? Is…is that _you_?” she inquired softly.

            All I could do was nod and swallow the whimpers while I could still control myself. Hearing that name that I had done so much to forget…it stung so badly that I could almost actually feel the pain, “It used to be…” I muttered, “but that was a long time ago…”

            “I’m sorry…about Luna, about everything…I just wish there was something I could do but…” she hugged me tightly, “ _I don’t have enough time…_ ” I felt her right arm move up, but I didn’t realize what she’d done until she stepped back and the vial of Jabberwocky blood was empty.

            Her image began fading fast; she looked more like a ghost than a real, solid girl. She took my hand in her translucent one, holding them between us as the light of the dawn pierced through her, giving her a silvery-grey aura.

            “ _Bye Stayne…see ya around…_ ” her voice was barely a whisper, only a suggestion of a sound. If I hadn’t been looking right at her when she said it, I more than likely wouldn’t have heard her.

            I sighed, “Fairfarren Allyson…” as she disappeared entirely into the portal connecting Underland to Overland. A single tear slid down from my eye and fell to the earth where she’d been standing.

            And just like that…our second champion was gone…

            **_For now…_**

            She’ll be back.


	22. Chapter 21 - Happily Ever After...What Else Did You Expect?

Twenty minutes have passed since Allyson fell down the hole, and still there’s no sign of her coming back up…which in no way, shape, form or fashion, is helping to get rid of my current state of paranoia. I was still pacing back and forth like a caged animal and talking to myself, “Oh man! I’ve killed her! I just **_know_** it! What am I gonna tell the others? Her parents are gonna kill **_me_**!” I slumped to the ground next to the tree, “She didn’t even answer my question…and now she‘s gonna totally say no…”

            About the time I started debating on whether or not I should run for help, I heard a shuffling sound coming from behind me, and a voice that made my already racing heart skip a beat, “Trevor…would you stop with the rambling to yourself and help me outta here?”

            “ ** _ALLYSON!_** You’re **_alive_**!”

            “Well I’m not **_dead_** …” she grunted, hoisting the rest of her body out of the rabbit hole, “How long have I been down there?” she dusted off the dirt and leaves from her t-shirt and jeans, and shook them out of her hair.

            I took her by the shoulders, “Almost half an hour! Are you alright? You aren’t scratched or bruised or…nothing’s broken right?!” my eyes scanned up and down her arms and face for any obvious injuries. Thankfully, I saw nothing.

            Allyson smiled, rolling her eyes and pulling my hands down into hers, “Trevor, calm down. I’m fine, I promise.” she suddenly reached down and rolled up the leg of her pants, exposing a row of three scars up the back of her right leg. It looked like some huge animal had raked its claws down her calf, “Well, that got pretty nasty, but it was nothing a little Bandersnatch lick couldn’t fix.”

            “ ** _Bandersnatch_**?! What the-?! Did you hit your head or something?!”

            “No, but I’m starting to think **_you_** have. Think about it!” she looked at me like I was missing a really obvious point in her remark about the Bandersnatch.

            “I don’t get it…” I scratched my head, trying to figure out what she was implying that I need to think about.

            “Trev…we’re in **_London_** , England…”

            “Yeah…”

            “I just crawled out of a **_rabbit hole_** …”

            I nodded, “Uh-huuuh…”

            Finally, she threw her hands up, “ ** _Dude_**! What’s the name of our **_band_**?!”

            Now I’m starting to think she’s got a bad case of amnesia along with her concussion, “Uh…The Wonderland Warriors…”

            “And **_why_** are we called that?”

            “What does that have to do with-…… ** _Ooooooh_** …”

            “ ** _Yeeeeeeeaaaaah_** …” she nodded her head up and down really slowly, trying her hardest not to laugh. Apparently, however, the expression on my face was too hysterical for her to contain her giggles, “I was in **_Underland_** the whole time!”

            That’s when it finally got through my thick head what she had been trying to get across; it’s sad that she had to flat out tell me, “Seriously?! The rabbit hole…it actually works?! Falling down that thing really takes you to Underland?” I stood over the hollow in the tree, staring into the black void my friend had just clambered out of.

            She paused beside me, her hand brushing against mine as she pushed the hair out of her eyes, “Probably not anymore. This one is more than likely closed up…though I wouldn’t recommend jumping down any other rabbit holes to find a portal.” Allyson teased, “If McTwisp is in charge of any more, they’ll be in desperate need of Spring cleaning…along with Winter, Summer and Fall.”

            “Ah…”

            There was a lengthy silence between us, while we stood gazing into the chasm. She was smiling and shaking her head at something, maybe a memory of what she had done down there, or of things that had happened…

            Or someone she had met.

            That’s when I noticed the locket hanging around her neck, the silver pendant glistening in the sunlight, “Who gave you that?” I pulled the chain up to get a closer look at it. A black gem in the shape of a heart sat in the center, surrounding by Celtic Knots that swirled around the edge of the lid. Flipping open the top, I revealed the clock inside that was several hours ahead of my watch, and the hands that moved so fast it was hard to tell which was which. It apparently runs on Underland time, not ours.

            Allyson caressed the side of the locket with her thumb, her index finger overlapping mine, “My new friend…” she grinned, “the Kna- er, I mean, the **_Knight_** of Hearts.” her pinkie finger pointed to the inscription underneath the cover.

            ‘Loci  

            “ _Ilosovic_ _Stayne_? He’s real?”

            She nodded, still smirking, “Yup. And thanks to me, he’s still alive. If I hadn’t made him have a ‘ _change of heart_ ’, he’d be hangin’ out with ‘Racie in the Outlands right now.” her eyes softened, her gaze becoming somewhat melancholy. She must miss him…

            “So…he’s not on the Red Queen’s side anymore?”  
            She looked at me like I’d spoken in a foreign language, “He never **_was_** on her side. She’s Numero Uno on his ‘Hate List’. Matter of fact, he was a spy for the Underland Underground Resistance.” she started back towards the mansion, still grasping the pendant in her fingers.

            “No way!” I jogged after her, almost tripping over the tree root.

            “Yes way! You can ask him yourself the next time you go to Mirana’s.”

            My eyes widened, “That’s where he is?”

            “Unless he’s left for some reason, yeah.”

            I was in utter shock; not _only_ had she saved him from Iracebeth _and_ got him and herself both out of Salazen Grum **_alive_** , but she convinced the White Queen ( _and the others, no doubt_ ) to let him stay in Marmoreal! And on **_top_** of that, he’s the **_Knight_** of Hearts now instead of the Knave!

            What the heck?!

            “So, uh…you two must be really close, huh?” I stuck my hands in my pockets nervously, “I mean, since you saved his life and all…and he gave you that locket…” my heart was sinking slowly down to my feet; had she “found someone” while she was in Underland? Was it too late for me?

            Allyson stopped in her tracks, “Yeah, we’re pretty tight.” she must’ve glanced over and noticed my cheerless expression, because she quickly added, “Not like **_that_** though! No, no, no… The man’s old enough to be my dad, so it wouldn’t exactly have worked out between us.” she chuckled, “And he’s not really my ‘ _type_ ’ either. I don’t date guys that are two and a half feet taller than me.”

            Before I could shut my trap, “So, what kind of guys **_do_** you date?” slipped out of my mouth. I gasped, like my breath could suck the words out of the air, even though I knew that it couldn’t.

            “Well…” she now stood directly in front of me, “I like boys that are sweet, and funny, they need to be easy on the eyes of course…” her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes had a glint in them that I had never seen before. Her fingers were wrapped up in a strand of her hair, twirling it round and round nervously, “ _Kinda like you……_ ”she whispered.

            When she said that, I forgot to breathe for a few seconds, “So…you mean…you _will_ …?” I stammered, not sure how to react, “Even after I dropped you down the Rabbit Hole?”

            “ ** _Especially_** , since you dropped me down the Rabbit Hole…” she smiled, closing the gap between us even further, only standing centimeters away, “On the other hand though…try not to make that a habit, ok?” she giggled, her arms finding their way around my neck.

            “I’ll do what I can, but I’m not making any promises.”

            She smiled lightly, laughing under her breath. And then, before I could react, she pulled me close and hugged me. At first, I didn’t know how to respond to her affection, because, for one, it was a little out of character for her to be all “lovey-dovey”

            We stayed like that for a couple of seconds, until we heard our names being called from the Ascot’s lawn, “We better go, before they start getting suspicious…” her hand gripped mine as we raced back down the path to the mansion. We were both giggling like a couple of little kids while we dodged underneath the branches and around roots and bushes on the path we’d taken to the Rabbit Hole. Her eyes sparkled every time she turned around to see if I was still behind her, and her smile widened; mine did too.

            Eventually, we made it back to the edge of the garden, where the rest of the band was waiting on us. They were a little confused at first ( _we were still holding hands_ ), but they soon caught on…

            And every one of the girls said “ _Oooooooh!_ ” in unison. Matt just chuckled knowingly.

            “I knew it! I saw it coming!” Lucy cried, putting her arm around my shoulders and nodding matter-of-factly.

            “So did I!” C’Lee agreed ( _for once_ ) with her sister, looping her arm through Allyson’s.

            “I think we **_all_** did…” Mayo winked at Maccay, who snickered in return.

            “Well,” Matt teased, “everybody except for these two.” he motioned to us.

            Allyson laid her head on my shoulder, “Ain’t that the truth!” she concurred.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      I never thought this day would come! I’d been waiting for **_months_** to gather up the courage to ask Trevor out myself…and then **_he_** goes and asks ** _me_**! Just out of the blue!

      Well…not exactly out of the blue…he **_had_** been talking to Matt earlier.

            There were hundreds of butterflies fluttering around in my stomach, now that I finally had him, I was almost too giddy to walk right. It was almost like their wings were making me float across the ground instead of allowing me to walk. I couldn’t help but smile so much that my cheeks hurt, and I knew I had to have been blushing like crazy. My heart was pounding a million miles an hour, just because his hand was intertwined with mine, just because he was close to me. My voice had a lilt to it that was almost musical every time I spoke; I felt like singing for no reason…

            But hey, isn’t that how everybody feels when they’re in love?

            The seven of us returned to the party, where the first thing my dancing eyes found was Jack, standing rigidly by the fountain with two identical girls standing on either side of him, “She just…ran off!” he threw his hands into the air exasperatedly. The twins nodded, sympathetically patting his shoulders.

            I gently pulled out of Trevor’s grip, explaining that I had some explaining to do. He gave me a funny look, but let me go when he realized where I was headed.

            Jack didn’t even glance up until I was right in front of him, and then he looked slightly less than amused, “Oh, there you are…” he scanned me up and down, checking for any indication of where I might’ve run off to.

            “Yeah, sorry…it was urgent. I had to go.” I shrugged, brushing some grass off my jeans.

            “I see…”

            I took in a deep breath, “Look, Jack…I hate to tell you, but it’s not gonna work out with us…” I sighed, “I’ve already got a boyfriend…and well…”

            He put his gloved hand up to stop me, “It’s fine, I understand.” he didn’t look like he ‘understood’, but he didn’t look mad either, “No hard feelings…honestly.”

            “Oh…well. Alright then…I guess I’ll see you at the concert then?”

            “I’ll be in the front row.” he promised, “And uh…so will you two…” Jack put his arms around his new groupies. They both squealed with delight, exchanging whispered giggles and bouncing up and down together. He led them away, shooting a wink at me over his shoulder as they disappeared into the mass.

            I just rolled my eyes and headed off to find Matt…I needed to ask him a favor…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      “You’re **_sure_** he’ll do it? Even in that costume?” Matt eyed me skeptically, probably wondering if I’d hit my head or something.

      “Hey! What do you two have against my costumes?! I think they look great on you guys!” I shot back, slightly offended by his last remark. I had designed those costumes myself and didn’t appreciate the boys’ attitude about wearing them.

      “It’s nothing personal…I just don’t do Halloween in May.”

      “Hardeeharhar…very funny.” I scoffed.

      “I wasn’t joking…”

      “I was.”

            Unable to come back with a witty retort, he shoved his hands in his pockets and continued to search the crowd for a sign of Trevor, “Yeah, yeah, yeah…” he muttered.

            Boy did we have a _surprise_ for my new beau!

            I eventually spotted him sitting on one of the steps leading up to the mansion’s back patio, plastic cup in one hand, strawberry tart in the other. He was busy munching on the pie, but quickly returned it to his plate when I plunked down next to him, “Hey, what’s up?” his arm circled around my waist, tugging me in closer.

            “Come here, I’ll tell you…” he leaned down, so that I could whisper in his ear. The instant I dropped the bombshell, his eyes lit up like fireworks and he pulled me into a bear hug.

            “Really?! I can?!” he exclaimed excitedly, “Aw, thanks guys! You’re the best!”

      “We know…we know…” Matt teased, giving him a pat on the back, “Well, I think I’ll leave you two lovebirds to your ‘ _moment_ ’…and I’ll lead myself to the refreshments. See ya!” he waved as he trotted off to raid the buffet of party food.

      “Bye!” we called in unison.

      Trevor peeked down at me out of the corner of his eye after Matt was out of sight, “You sure he’s not going to mind?” he laid his head on top of mine.

            “He said he didn’t…” I interlaced my fingers with his.

            “Well…alright then…this just seems a little odd for him to do though…”

            “Yeah…” I sighed, “C’mon…let’s go get some more tarts and stuff…I’m starving!”

            He rolled his eyes, still holding onto me as we stood up together, “Oh yeah, I’m sure your adventures in Underland made your tummy growl like crazy…” he goaded me, poking my stomach right where I’m **_extremely_** ticklish.

             I squealed and returned the favor, “Hey, I had to help kill a Jabberwocky on an empty tank, buddy.”

            He chuckled, shaking his head, “Man, the guys back home will **_never_** believe **_this_**! My girl’s a _Jabberwocky slayer_!”

            “Among other things…” I added.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Two Days Later

 

      It was only fifteen minutes before the show time at 8pm, and all seven of us were still standing in the bathroom, adjusting our outfits or fixing makeup…or in the boys’ cases… messing with their hair.

            “Trevor, your hair looks fine. Leave it like that.” I scolded him, pushing it back to where he had it in the first place. He groaned and rolled his eyes, but finally went to straightening the collar of his shirt. Matt, on the other hand, continued to whip his hair around everywhere, until Maccay ultimately ended up smacking him in the back of the head to make him stop.

            After putting the final touches on my glitter makeup, I managed to shoo everybody out the door and into the hallway so we could get onto the stage in time. We raced down the corridor and out the back door of the house that was, fortunately for the element of surprise, concealed by the stage. Mr. and Mrs. Ascot were waiting by the performers’ entrance, ready to wish us luck with entertaining a mass of elementary school-age kids and a sparse population of teenagers and adults.

            Matt, fiddling with the black and blue cat ears on his head and zipping his striped jacket against the cool breeze, tromped over to the sound booth and cast Trevor a “salute” before closing the door behind him. Trev tipped his crown to him, pushing it up with his silver and white drumsticks that were clutched tightly in his hand.

            He was so ecstatic that I was letting him play in our first international gig; he wouldn’t stop hugging me last night! I had to **_make_** him lay down so we could go to sleep!

            “You ready?” he squeezed my hand as we approached the steps that lead to the stage’s platform.

            “Are **_you_**?” I shot back before running through the door and grabbing the mic. He followed quickly behind me, dashing to his place behind the drum set, whilst the other Warriors took up their positions with their instruments.

            “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen…boys and girls. Are you ready for a show?” I called out to the audience, who answered with deafening cheers and applause, “Alright then! Let’s go!”

            “Now, our first song for the night, is dedicated to all my band members, my family, friends, fans, and everyone else who helped keep me from falling down…and, actually, it’s kind of a love song…” I turned to Trevor, who was beaming all the while, “It’s called ‘ _On the Way Down_ ’ by Ryan Cabrera…” I stuck the microphone back into its stand and gave everyone the cue to begin the song…

_Sick and tired of this world_

_There’s no more air_

_Trippin’ over myself, goin’ nowhere_

_Waitin’…suffocatin’_

_No direction_

_And I took a dive and…_

_On the way down_

_I saw you, and you saved me from myself_

_And I won’t forget the way you loved me_

_And on the way down, I almost fell right through_

_But I held onto you_

_I’ve been wondering why_

_It’s only me_

_Have you always been inside?_

_Waiting to breathe_

_It’s alright_

_Sunlight on my face_

_I wake up and yeah, I’m alive_

_‘Cause on the way down_

_I saw you and you saved me from myself_

_And I won’t forget the way you loved me_

_And on the way down, I almost fell right through_

_But I held onto you_

_I was so afraid of goin’ under_

_But now, the weight of the world_

_Feels like nothin‘…no nothin’_

_Down, down, down…You’re all I wanted_

_Down, down, down…You’re all I need now_

_Down, down, down…_

_You’re all I wanted_

_You’re all I needed_

_And I won’t forget the way you loved me_

_All that I wanted_

_All that I needed now_

_Oh, on the way down_

_I saw you, and you saved me from myself_

_And I won’t forget the way you loved me_

_And on the way down, I almost fell right through_

_But I held onto you_

_Down, down, down_

_Yeah I held onto you  
Yeah I held onto you…_

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            We played and sang our hearts out that night…and we had a blast while doing it! Everyone loved the concert, and our costumes ( _Ha! Take **that**_ , _boys!_ ) and I swear I got a million requests for other kids’ birthday parties, weddings, bar mitzvahs, etc…some of which may have to wait for awhile. I think one overseas trip is quite enough for the moment!

            Our flight was scheduled to leave the morning after the performance, so we had to pack our bags as soon as we got off stage, so we wouldn’t have to do it in a rush the next day. But…before we could exit the stage completely, Mrs. Ascot pulled me off to the side and introduced me to a tall, thin man in a black suit.

            He had jet black, wavy hair and icy blue eyes; the left one had a small scar above the eyebrow that was barely noticeable at first, but once I really looked at him, I could see it quite plainly. He seemed vaguely familiar…in a strange sort of way.

            “Allyson, this is my brother Ian…he runs a booking agency for bands and other performing groups.” she nudged me towards him.

            “Pleasure to meet you.” he grinned, extending his pale hand for a handshake.

            That voice…the face, the hair…the scar…

            It _couldn’t_ be…

            “Indeed, it’s my pleasure as well…” I told hold of his hand firmly, noting the tiny scar marks along his fingers and back of his hand, “You know…it seems like I’ve seen you before…have we met?” I couldn’t help but notice his uncanny resemblance to a certain friend of mine from Underland. Could it have been just a coincidence?

            “You may have seen me before in the U.S…have you ever played in New York?”

            “Yeah,” I nodded, still a little suspicious, “you work there a lot?”  
            “Sure do. I spend a good bit of time up here…I mean up there.” he corrected himself, but not before I caught it, “Sorry, this wonderful concert has me all tongue-tied!”

            “Nah, that’s ok…we get that a lot…”

            He adjusted his tie, then pulled out a small, red business card, “Well, I must be on my way…but if you’re ever in the Big Apple, give me a call.” he flipped the card deftly out of his fingers and into mine. I almost didn’t believe my eyes when I read the business’s name…

 

Knight of Music

Booking Company

Ian Stanley

 

        “I uh…yeah…I will. Thanks.” waving goodnight to the host and hostess, I flew back inside to get out of this outfit and into some comfy pjs!

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      “I’m **_telling_** you…I think Stayne is up here in Overland! I could’ve **_sworn_** that was him! I mean, look at the card! Ian Stanley? Likely story!” I was pacing back and forth in our bedroom on the second floor, with the others seated around me. Something smelled fishy, and I think I’d figured it out.

      “Can Underlanders even **_come_** up here?” Maccay flipped the card from front to back, and back again.

      “Apparently **_he_** can! He even said ’ _I spend a good bit of time **up** **here’**_ and then tried to correct himself, like he was trying to cover that up.” putting the card into my backpack, which had mysteriously reappeared in here after I’d left it in Mirana’s castle, I sat down on the edge of the bed next to Trevor. He was already about halfway asleep, so he didn’t very often put in his two cents in this conversation.

      Just then, out of my peripheral vision, I noticed and envelop sticking out from under the book bag, and got up to investigate. It wasn’t marked on the outside, but when I read the letter it contained, I automatically recognized the writer…

     

          I hope this isn’t becoming a trend. You know this is the second time I’ve had to bring this thing back to you! Hopefully I’ll see you again soon……

          Sincerely,

          ‘Loci

      

            I couldn’t help but smile; that guy outside may not have been him, but he **_had_** been here! “Hey, look at this!” I handed the letter around, “How’s that for proof! I knew he was here!” I grinned triumphantly.

            Mayo’s eyes widened behind her glasses, “I don’t get it…how did he get up here?”

            “I don’t know…maybe they have some secret passage in Marmoreal or something…” Matt shrugged.

            Trevor finally sat back up, “Yeah, there’s one in one of the hallways. Mirana told me to use it if something dangerous starts to happen while I’m there…thankfully, I’ve never had to.” we all shuddered at the thought of danger in the White Queen’s castle. That place is the safest haven in all of western Underland…no peril should ever come to its inhabitants…

            But if it never **_would_** , then why would she have an escape for us Overlanders?

            Shaking my head to clear the gruesome images from my mind, I took the note and put it back in one of the pockets, “At any rate, we need to get some sleep guys…we have to get up early…” At that, everyone crawled to their beds, eager to get some shuteye before the long trip home.

            Trevor and I exchanged a goodnight hug before following suit, taking beds directly across from each other, “G’night…” I whispered.

            “‘Night…” he replied, his sapphire blue eyes captured perfectly in the moonlight shining through the window.

            “Goodnight everybody!” C’Lee and Lucy called out together.

            “G’night!” Maccay yawned.

            “Nighty-night…” Mayo snuggled down into her pillow, muffling the words.

            “Zzzzzz…….” Matt was already snoring.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The following morning, we all stood in the driveway of the mansion, awaiting the limo ride back to the airport. The Ascots had all come out to say their goodbyes, and to give us the goodie-bags that we’d forgotten to pick up the day before at the party.

            “Oh, it was so delightful having you all here! I do hope you’ll come back for a visit?” Mrs. Ascot hugged each of us like she’d never see us again.

            I turned to their eldest child, “Well, Jack, when’s **_your_** birthday?” I chuckled.

            “Unfortunately, my next one won’t be ‘til next year, but I’ll be sure to give you a call…” he winked. I almost hadn’t recognized him this morning, since he washed all the hair dye out… instead of inky black, his locks were actually white-blonde, almost like they were bleached.

            “We’ll be here.”

            Little Rose frowned, “I wish you didn’t have to go…can’t you stay here with us?” she pleaded with the most pitiful puppy-dog face I’d ever seen ( _and trust me…I’ve seen some sad ones!_ ).

            “Well, I would if I could, but I’ve got some things to take care of back home…don’t worry…I’ll be back.”

            “Promise?” she sniffled.

            “ _Pinky_ promise.” taking her tiny finger, I locked it with mine, giving her my word that I would return. She hugged me tightly around the next, letting go just as Xavier pulled in, “Now Rose, you mind your parents while we’re gone, stay in school, eat your veggies, and don’t go chasing White Rabbits…or else you’ll be late for tea.” I reminded her. She giggled.

Turning to Jack, I pointed in his direction, “And you…don’t go around breakin’ too many hearts now, ya hear?”

            He saluted as I climbed into the back of the limo, “Yes ma’am!”

            And with that, we waved our last farewells and drove off into the sunrise…

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            As the Wonderland Warriors drove off, Ian Stanley emerged from the entrance hallway, his hands buried deep in his pockets, “Do you think she recognized us?” he looked at Terrace, a glimmer of hope flashing through his gaze.

            Jack put his hands on his hips and raised his eyebrow in irritation, “Well maybe she **_would_** have if **_you_** had been here on time!” he huffed, “Hmph…and **_I’m_** the one that’s always **_late_** …this is the **_last_** time I’m covering for you darn it!”

            “Alright, alright…settle down.” Alyssa admonished him, “I think she did, but didn’t want to say anything.”

            “I don’t suppose we’ll know…unless she comes back…” Rose crossed her arms, turning to her father for his opinion.

            He was silent for a moment, but then nodded, “Yes, if and when she comes back…we’ll know for sure…” he agreed, his emerald eyes holding the tiniest spark of knowing. He knew she’d come back. He knew…

            Suddenly, another figure came out of the house, dressed in almost all white, with a hint of blue here and there. Her eyes were the color of the earth, and her hair was tow-blonde; it was an even lighter shade than Jack’s. She carried a tiny, wire-haired Chihuahua in her pocketbook, its teeny little head poking out the top.

            “Miranda…” Ian held out his arm for his wife. She nodded and smiled warmly.

            “Did she know it was you?” she asked excitedly, hoping that Allyson had realized that everything was not as it seemed -and what it seemed was not everything- here at the manor.

            Everyone shook their heads solemnly.

            “Well…better luck next time I suppose…” she sighed, scratching the puppy behind its ear. He yipped happily, wagging his thin tail from side to side.

            “On the bright side…who’s ready for a picnic on the river?” Alyssa began to shoo everyone off the porch and towards the path that lead through the woods and out to the stream.

            Rose stopped dead in her tracks, “Wait! Where’s Ace?” she searched frantically for the huge tabby cat, which soon popped out of the bushes nearby. She scooped him up into her arms as best she could ( _he was almost as big as her!_ ) and jogged to catch up with the others, “Wait for me!” she cried, chasing after her family.

            They could all scarcely wait for the Warriors’ return, so that the adventures could **_truly_** begin…


End file.
